Life Changes
by SSJ4 BROLI
Summary: Tragedy Strikes. A friend falls and others remember their fallen ally.
1. No one loves me...

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Tenchi cast.  This story was written strictly for amusement purposes.  

**Life Changes**

Chapter 01: No one loves me 

Far from Planet Earth, there is a small world, called Epsil-juon, in the Delqan System.  For thousands of years the ancient people who dwell here have lived in relative peace, in this, their own small kingdom in the Jurain Empire.  It is because of their location, and their disbelief in war, or any kind of offensive battles, which has led them to the terrible events of this very day.  Like every other day, the sun rose upon the cheerful city of Malkilon, ruling capitol of this world, showing all the beauty and splendor of this wooden planet, where nature and man live in relative harmony.  

However, the sun would not set peacefully today.  Instead as it disappeared on the horizon, it would signal the final day of this majestic and wonderful world.  For it is on this very day, when an ancient evil has cascaded down from the heavens.  A black starship with a red commander center located amidst the massive jutting spires upon its hull.  Like a demon from the darkest corner of hell, it tore through the early morning, reigning death and destruction on the unsuspecting people below.  Yet even this was nothing compared to what followed.  

After countless hours of attacks, a single warrior teleported to the city below, a beautiful woman with long cyan hair and eyes that glowed with emerald power and vile hatred.   It is this moment when the last moments of Planet Epsil-juon began, and a world was sentenced to die.  

As many citizens ran through the streets in a panic, clutching their loved ones close as they tried to find some means of transport away from the carnage, despite the fact that nearly all ships had been either destroyed or impaired due to the debris of the black vessel's attacks, the woman with glowing eyes brought the massacre to a new height of horror.  Her skills were unbelievable, those who stood before her were butchered like cattle, even those who had trained in the martial arts were nothing compared to her inhuman strength.  

Grabbing one of the dying men, who lay bleeding beside a fountain in the center of the once glorious town, the vicious demoness growled at him with a horrifying smile.  "You," she hissed, her eyes glowing malevolently as she picked the limp man's body up with one hand, "where is he?" 

"Where… where is who?   What do you want from us, we've done nothing to you!"  The brown-haired citizen cried, blood and tears mingling on his cheeks as he gazed at his executioner with a look of pure fear.  "Please… let us alone, we-" With a swift turning of her arm, the lithe figure ended her prey's chatter, tossing him aside like refuse.  

_Damn peasants!  Where's the man in charge?_  Turning around, the murderous woman smiled at the sight she beheld.  While she had been distracted with the dying man, the remaining guards had gathered behind her, rarely used weapons draw, prepared to make a feeble attempt to saving their planet and their own lives.

One man, dressed in fine white robes adorned with a deep blue crest of a tree stepped forward.  "I am the magistrate of this planet!  I order you to leave this place at once, or we'll be forced to deal with you ourselves."

"Finally, just who I was looking for."  Grinning darkly, the cyan-haired woman threw her head back, "My name is Ryoko.  It means demon summoner.  Let me give you boys a demonstration of what that means."  Holding an arm out to each side, the sinister woman called forth spirits from the fountain behind her, small individually soon they clumped together forming a demon of water, with red eyes, massive claws, and a long wisp of a watery tail for legs.  "Go on boy," she urged her creation.  "Have some fun, but leave the magistrate for me."  

Instantly, the summoned monster reacted, lunging at the nearest solider with amazing speed.  With a single swipe of its powerful claws the beast downed the frightened man before he knew what had happened.  Those around him made a valiant effort to fight back, one even succeeding in severing on of his attackers arms, which soon grew back, before the water demon finished him as well.  

Soon only the magistrate remained, staggering back from the massacre a look of disbelief on his paling face.  "You… you… killed tehm… but why…?"

"Why not," she smirked, teleporting right in front of her foe.  Grasping his neck in a lightning swift motion, the joy faded from her voice as she slowly squeezed his neck.  "Now then, you'll tell me what I want to know, or I'll get angry.  What is the secret of Tsunami?  How can I invoke her power?"

"I…don't know," the plump man managed to breath out as he fought against her powerful grasp.  "I am not… Jurain… and even if I did know, I'd never tell you!" With a final act of defiance, the magistrate spat downward, directly onto the cyan-haired woman's face.  

Sneering the woman with emerald eyes shook her head.  "Okay then," she sighed, releasing him. "I guess I have no reason to stay.  But I will leave my friend here as a present to you…." _Ryo-Ohki!_  Ryoko mentally called out,_ tell Kagato this planet has no information on Tsunami._

_MYA! MYA! _A cat like voice replied into the golden-eyed woman's mind, answering her commands.  

_Figures,_ she smirked,_ Kagato never did have a use for worthless things. _An instant later she beamed away, leaving her horrible monster glaring at the shaking man before it, waiting for the command to strike.  It was a command that would never come, as something else was in store for this world.__

As Ryoko appeared back aboard her vessel a ship thousands of times bigger than Ryo-Ohki appeared seemingly out of nowhere to rest beside her.  The large ship, adorned with large plates that jutted out horizontally form its hull, giving the appearance of plate mail from an ancient Earth samurai, soon began to pool an emerald energy at the end of its hull, and soon a tremendous amount of the evil power glowed like a sun before it.  An instant later the gathered power was released, and in a blinding light, Planet Epsil-juon was no more.  

Watching the Soja attack the defenseless planet, Ryoko gazed with a horrible grin.  "Oh well, they had their chance.  Where are we going next, Ryo-Ohki?"

"You're going to planet Jurai, my dear," an icy voice called behind her.  Spinning around the lithe woman stood face to face with a pale skinned man, dressed in green robes with a small set of glasses resting upon his nose.  

"Kagato!"  The cyan-haired woman shouted appearing flustered by her master's sudden appearance. "I thought you wanted to wait until we knew more before we attacked Jurai directly!"

"Yes I did," the white haired man announced. "But I'm getting bored with all this," he admitted, gesturing towards the dust that symbolized Planet Epsil-juon.  "And this is your last chance."

"But I did exactly what you-" stopping her mid-sentence the powerful man held one hand forward, causing unfathomable pain to arch through Ryoko's body, as she fell to the floor after her knees buckled.  "Damn you Kagato… I swear… I'll kill you!"

Laughing, Kagato shook his head, as he ended her pain.  "Oh really," he chuckled finding her words amusing.  "Why don't you do it now then?  I'm right here, vulnerable and open.  Feel free to take a shot at me."

"You're just a shadow," she hissed rising to her feet as she wiped her mouth on the sleeve of her tartan and blue dress.  "You aren't the real Kagato."

"Good, I see you can learn.  Remember you are mine, Ryoko.  Mine to command and to use, as I will.  You are my machine, made to be what I want you to be."  Reaching forward the green-cloaked figure cupped her chin between his thumb and pointer finger.  "Maybe one night, if you don't fail me again, I'll show you exactly why I made you so pretty…." Slapping her face roughly, the white-haired figure laughed again.  "But then again, you'd need a bath first, and even then I don't think anything could clean the failure from you.   You are truly a pathetic creature.  I'll be glad when we find the power of Tsunami, so I can be rid of you." Stepping back he gestured to her with one hand, "now be a good piece of garbage, and remove yourself from my sight.  You have a job to do, and I've already wasted too much of my life looking at you."  A second later, he was gone, having teleported back to his ship, where he reigned supreme.

Falling back to her knees, the slender woman felt tears roll down her cheeks.  It was the same as always was, no matter what she did, he threatened, berated, and hurt her, but there was nothing she could do about it.  Nothing anyone could do about it.  Kagato was simply too powerful.  Still his offer about a night alone with him made her flesh crawl.  _I'd sooner die…_ she realized, sadness turning quickly into rage as she slammed one hand on the black metal floor of her ship.  

"MYA?" a floating crystal nearby asked, a picture of a strange rabbit like creature appearing before her.  

"I'm fine, but I feel like pounding on somebody.  Head toward Planet Jurai…."

"Mya?  Mya… Mya ow?" it answered.  

"No!  I don't care what happens to those idiots on Jurai!" She told her companion.  " If we're lucky, this could be our chance to be free.  If we take Jurai, then Kagato's sure to forget about me, then I won't have to…" Trailing off the slender woman shivered from something other than temperature.  "Then we'll be free, or we'll be dead.  Either way, it's better than our 'life' now.  Think about it how many times have you had to die for him?  How much pain have I endured?  We didn't ask to be what we are, and if we have to suffer, then the rest of the universe is going to as well.  Now move it, Ryo-Ohki, before I get pissed off even more!"  

With a sad meow of acknowledgement, the black starship rushed away, heading towards what could hopefully be its final battle. 

**Earth: Early Morning: The Living Room:  The Masaki House**

Sitting up suddenly, Ryoko grasped her head, feeling the cold sweat run down her face.  _Planet Epsil-juon… again… it's the same dream… just like I've had for the past two weeks… _yawning the lithe woman tried to lay back down, yet as she closed her eyes she could see dream beginning once again.  At that moment her eyes snapped back open, _this is just great.  Why in the world have I been remembering that place again?  Like I don't have enough trouble with Ayeka trying to take **my** Tenchi from me.  I don't need any more hassles!  _

Laying on her back with her arms behind her head, the silver-haired woman's keen hearing suddenly heard something, the sound of distant chopping coming from the kitchen.  _Sounds like Sasami's up… Hey I know!  I can help her with breakfast.  Then Tenchi will be so happy to know I worked so hard to make him breakfast that he'll forget about that flat little princess, and be all mine!  Plus if I tell Sasami my dream, then maybe they'll stop. After all she's always telling me it helps with her nightmares…_ Sitting up, Ryoko began to lean forward, teleporting away in the blink of an eye.

**The Kitchen:**

"Hi Sasami," the golden-eyed woman shouted, appearing behind the small girl, who started at the expression completely missing the vegetables she was cutting. 

"Oh… hi Ryoko," the blue-haired princess said, placing one hand over her heart in an attempt to slow it's rabid beating.  "What are you doing up so early?"

"Oh nothing much," she began, quickly adding a statement under her breath in a slightly shaken tone, "bad dreams, mostly."  Then with a quick headshake the silver-haired woman looked over Sasami's shoulder. "What are you cooking?  Can I help?  Pleeeeeaaaase?" 

"Well…" Sasami complained, holding a wooden spoon in her hands as she looked at the food she had been working on.  "I guess," she said caving into her friend's request, "but you have to do exactly what I tell you!" The small princess remarked shaking her spoon in warning. 

However it wasn't long, before what started out as a friendly cooperative event turned into a nightmare in itself.  "No, Ryoko," the little chef declared, grabbing the bottle of sauce from her companion. "You can't add that yet, or it will…" At that moment, the boiling liquid gurgled over the edge of the pan, ruining the entire batch.  "Now I'll have to start all over on the soup," the pink-eyed child grumbled.  Suddenly looking over her shoulder, Sasami caught Ryoko just as the golden-eyed woman was about to add chucks of vegetables the size of her fist into one of the open pans.  "RYOKO!" she shouted, leaping over to stop her companion's actions.    
  
Laughing in an embarrassed tone, the silver-haired woman set down her tray.  "Sorry about that Sasami," she explained rubbing the back of her head tenderly.  "Say why don't we take a break.  Would you like to hear about the dream I had last night.  You see it was about my past a long time ago.  Ryo-Ohki and I were on this planet called Epsil-juon and-"

"OH!" Sasami snapped, "You ruined everything!"

Seeing her friend was upset, the lithe ex space pirate rubbed her friends head, as the pink-eyed Jurain glared at her with an agitated look. Apparently treating the young girl's ruined work as something nearly trivial was not sitting well with her.  "Don't worry, kid, I'll help you fix everything.  I mean after all how long did it take you to do all this anyway?  Five, ten minutes?"

Sagging her shoulders the girl in the large blue and pink fluffy dress sighed, "This took me an hour," she remarked, tears pouring down her face like waterfalls. "Please, just go away."

"But I want to help," Ryoko admitted. "I can help with the vegetables," she offered picking up the cleaver quickly trying to cut a carrot, which was not too hard, however as she forgot her strength, the lithe woman also succeeded in snapping the cutting board in two as well.  "Oops…" the golden-eyed helper whispered, looking to see what Sasami would do about this.  

At that moment the little girl bore an expression that showed she was about to explode.  Realizing she was in trouble, the former space pirate did what came natural in a situation like this.  She ran, leaving the blue-haired girl alone with her ruined meal, a defeated look in her eyes.  

_Ryoko… _she sighed,_ why did you have to go and break everything…_ Turning off the stove, the young princess felt terrible, as she realized there was only one thing to do.  "I better tell Tenchi," she told herself, "maybe he can get Ryoko to stop messing around in the kitchen…." Wiping her hand on her carrot-adorned apron, the youngest member of the extended Masaki family shook her head painfully._  It's not fair, what did I do to Ryoko to make her want to ruin my meal…?_

**Later: Outside:**

After eating a hearty breakfast, one prepared hurriedly by Sasami, the Masaki family each went about their daily chores.  All save Ryoko, who had avoided breakfast, not wanting to see her small friends face when she told everyone what had happened earlier.  _Better to let that all blow over, then come back later and apologize, _the lithe woman realized as she flew high over the Masaki home._  Besides I don't want her telling everyone all at once that I'm having these dreams.  I don't care if Sasami knows about them, she's young and I know I can trust her to keep a secret, but I really don't want to explain to tell Tenchi the details of my past.  I know he's heard about a lot of it, but I don't want to burden him anymore than I have to.  It's better if he doesn't know much. _

It was then the golden-eyed woman saw someone moving about near the house.  Well, well, what have we here?  _Looks like Mihoshi.  She's so dumb she forgets her own name most of the time.  I really need to talk to someone, and even thought she's as slow as a turtle she is a person.  _In the blink of an eye, Ryoko vanished from her position, teleporting towards her next target.  

In the warm early morning sun, the blue-eyed detective hummed happily, taking each article of clothing from a wicker basket and carefully placing it on the line. _ Now let's see… _she thought carefully trying to remember the instructions she had been given on how to properly handle laundry only minutes prior. _ Sasami said to make sure I only do one piece at a time, that way I don't drop any of them on the ground.  That seems easy enough,_ she thought blankly with a matching smile.  _I can't see anything going wrong with that.  _Reaching behind her without looking, the slow-witted woman became rather confused, as there was no longer a basket there. "Huh?"

"Hello there," Ryoko said warmly, holding the wicker basket, resting it upon her shoulder.  "Need a hand?  You know this would go a lot quicker if you grabbed a lot of clothes at once."

"Ryoko," Kiyone called from a short distance away, as she watered the small gathering of roses.  "Just let Mihoshi do it, you're supposed to be raking leaves today I think."

"Besides… Sasami said to only do one thing at a time.  Otherwise…."

"Oh don't be such a worrier, Mihoshi," the lithe woman smiled, grabbing an armful of clothes out of the basket, dropping the remained and the container to the ground in a haphazard fashion.  As the basket struck the ground, freshly washed clothes scattered everywhere some falling on dry ground, yet most landing in an area of the nearby flower garden that had just been water moments earlier by Kiyone.  _I have to hurry, if I can get this dimwit done with her chores, then I'll have someone to talk to.  Right now I don't want to handle a group, so I need to get Mihoshi out of here._

"Wait, please," the blonde woman begged, chasing Ryoko as quickly as she could, trying to catch some of the loose clothing before it hit the ground.

"What's wrong now," the over-eager helper announced. "Ready to take a break?   Come on, we can go watch that show you like.  Besides there's something I need to talk to someone about and you're just the person I had in mind."  

"I can't do that, Ryoko," the dark-skinned officer sighed.  "Now I have to start all over with the laundry…."

"Fine," she declared, dropping the clothes she had been holding.  "If you're going to act like that you can do the laundry by yourself.  "

_I just don't get it,_ Kiyone sighed, turning off the hose to help her partner collect the clothes scattered around in the mud.  _Ryoko never helps out.  She always leaves most of the work to everyone else, why did she decide to get in Mihoshi's way?  If Ayeka were doing the laundry I could understand, but Mihoshi…?   She must be up to something.  I better tell Tenchi, about this.  He'll know what to do._

**Hours Later:**

**The Onsen:**

Standing before the doors to the Onsen, the one she herself had created and given to the Masaki family, Ryoko rubbed her face tenderly.  _Maybe if I have a few bottles of saki, and take a nice bath, I can calm my nerves.  _Floating through the doors, the slender woman soon discarded her clothing, making her way into the steaming waters.  Yet as she arrived, a most unpleasant sight met the golden-eyed woman, as she was not the only occupant of the bath. _  Oh great, Ayeka… just what I need._

"Ah, Ryoko!  There you are.  Is what I've been hearing true?" the red-eyed woman said in a voice full of mirth, as she saw her rival starting to descend into the Onsen's soothing waters.  "Have you returned to your old methods of destruction?  I figured you would one day.  It's in your blood after all…."

Looking up, the golden-eyed woman's face went completely blank as she stared at the purple-haired woman.  _My old ways! What is she talking about, I may be a little rough at times, but I am nothing like I used to be…_

"Isn't it true, you're on a rampage today?  First Sasami's meal, then Mihoshi's laundry, I cannot imagine what you will do for an encore. "

Preparing to respond with a rather offensive remark, Ryoko saw something just as she was about to speak.  Behind the red-eyed woman were countless bottles of saki, all empty and discarded by the proper woman.  _I see, Ayeka's plastered.  That's why she's so mouthy.  Still if she is wasted, then she won't remember anything I tell her….  _"I don't like doing this, but here goes," she told herself under her breath.  

"Hey Ayeka, let me tell you about this dream I had last night," the bustier of the two women remarked, forcing a laugh in an attempt to make her comrade get in the spirit of her story.  "Actually it was a real nightmare.  You see it all took place a long time ago, back before I came to Jurai, and-" 

"A nightmare?" the purple-haired woman laughed.  "Aren't you a little old to be having nightmares, Ryoko?"  Chuckling under her breath, the red-eyed princess took another drink from her saki, enjoying the moment greatly.  "Although if I looked as frightful as you do, then I suppose I would have nightmares."  Laughing once again, the rather plastered royal woman shook her head.  

"So, anyway what were you saying about Jurai," she asked looking up, only to discover that she was once again alone. Snickering, Ayeka took yet another drink.  "Such rude manners… how does she ever think she'll get any help if she acts so rude towards everyone who tries to help her?"

**The Living Room:**

Standing before the door to her mother's workshop, Ryoko shook her head. _Well the bath didn't help me relax, and I should have known Ayeka wouldn't be any help.  That damn little princess… she's always making this hard for me.  No matter how nice I try to be to her, she always starts up an insulting game.  Oh well…_

Grasping the door handle firmly in her hand, the silver-haired woman tensed before turning the knob.  _I'm sure Washu can help; all I have to do is resist the urge to throttle the little twerp for all her kiddy comments.  Well here goes nothing…._

**Washu's Lab:**

As the woman in the tartan and blue dress stepped into the lab, a small crab-like structure rattle as the door bumped into it, alerting the owner of this space that she had a guest.  

"Who is it," a nasal voice called out from further in the lab.  "I'm a little busy right now, so if you could come back that would be for the best…."

"Damn it Washu," the lithe woman screamed, yawning loudly.  "I don't have time for that right now!  Where are you?"

"Oh it's you," the red-haired mother disappointedly remarked.  "I'm over her by the matter transducers." 

A short walk later, the nightmare plagued woman arrived before her mother, her eyes looking rather tired from the days events.   "Look Washu…" she began.

"Uh-uh-uh," Washu said, holding up one finger warningly as she continued to work on some confusing looking machine with extreme interest.  "Please, little Ryoko, call me mom…."

Sucking in a deep breath, the golden-eyed woman spoke through clenched teeth to her emerald-eyed mother.  "Okay… Mom!  I've been having this nightmare for the past two weeks, and no one will listen to me.  I just need to tell someone, it all started long ago, back when we were still Kagato's prisoner's." 

"Oh, that's nice," the smaller woman proclaimed, never looking up.  "Tell you what, tell me the rest tomorrow.  Right now I really don't have time to listen to today's gossip."

"GOSSIP!  You're not even listening to me," the silver haired daughter commented.  Slamming her fist into a nearby machine, the lithe woman's voice soon became a vicious growl.  "Washu! I'm talking to you!"

As the large machine shattered beside her, the red-haired woman looked up through her miniature bifocals, an agitated look in her eyes.  "Ryoko, I don't have time for your nonsense right now.  If all you're going to do is break stuff, then come back later.  I really don't have time to play with you.  Mommy is busy."

"But…!"

"No, I'm sorry, you'll have to go," the little genius proclaimed, getting behind her daughter, half pushed and half throwing her out of the lab.  "Don't worry we can talk tomorrow if you want, but for right now I'm very busy."  With that the super genius shut the door to her awesome laboratory, unknowingly casting her daughter out in her moment of need.

**Outside Tenchi's Room:**

**That Night:**

_I don't know why I didn't come here first.  Tenchi is always nice to me, and he'll listen to me. Then the nightmares will have to stop.  I just need someone to listen to me….  Of course this means I have to talk to him about my past, and I never wanted to do that not if I didn't have to._  Yawning, Ryoko stretched her voluptuous body to its limits._  I'm so tired, but I know I can't sleep cause I won't get any rest.  Not without more nightmares.  _"I better get going.  I have to find a way to end these nightmare's soon, before I fall asleep again."  With that the lithe woman took another step forward, phasing her head through the door, to peer at the young man inside.

**Tenchi's Room:**

In his quiet room, Tenchi Masaki sat at his desk, diligently working on something.  With his back to the door, the young man was completely unaware of the silver-haired woman's presence as she quietly drifted into his room.  

Looking at the young man's bed, the golden-eyed space pirate suddenly remembered something that had happened long ago.  _When Sasami had a nightmare, she came and slept with Tenchi.  Then they stopped.  Maybe…._

"Tenchi…" Ryoko began, seeing the semi-Jurain youth start as she spoke, her voice sounding unnaturally nervous on the verge of timid.  "I need to ask you something…."'

Rubbing his temples, the young man shook his head, "Ryoko," he whined, leaning over his desk as he continued to work on a ship that had somehow become stuck in a bottle. "Can't it wait until tomorrow?  I'm really tired right now, and not in the mood for your games.  I heard about the trouble you've been causing today…" he admitted in a warning tone.  

"It's no game, and I didn't mean to do anything wrong," the lithe woman admitted, rubbing her hands anxiously as her eyes darted around the room in an attempt to not look at the young man's face. "I just want to know if… well… can I sleep with you tonight."  Looking at Tenchi the silver-haired woman could tell what he was thinking.

"No," he snapped. "For the last time, I am not going to have sex with you.  Why can't you understand that," the brown-haired youth angrily asked.  

"That's not what I'm talking about, Tenchi!" she whined, "Look I just want to sleep by you.  I promise I won't tell anyone, and I'll be gone before you wake up, really."   Seeing that her beloved was more infatuated with the strange bottle than her, Ryoko swung her fist down in a swift motion, shattered the glass surrounding the ancient looking Earth vessel.   Seeing her handy work the golden-eyed woman smiled.  _There, now that I got that ship out of it's container for him, Tenchi will have to listen to me.  _Kneeling beside her beloved prince, Ryoko looked up at him with large tear filled eyes.  "Please let me stay here, I'm feeling especially vulnerable right now, and I don't know what I'd do if I had to be alone for another night…. You're my only hope left Tenchi…."

_Oh man… _the brown-haired young man gasped mentally._  I've been working on that ship in a bottle for months now! It was the only thing I had to escape the insanity of my life, and Ryoko just broke it to pieces! _Grabbing the busty woman by the underarm, the Jurain youth angrily helped her back to her feet. "Like I haven't heard you try this one before…." Half dragging, half carrying the pleading demoness, Tenchi opened the door with his free arm.   "Now please," he said, his voice melting as if it were about to snap. "Just go.  I'll see you tomorrow."

"But Tenchi…" the golden-eyed woman said, tears trickling down her face.  "That won't be until after tonight, and-"

"Goodnight Ryoko," the young man sighed impatiently, not seeing the busty space pirate's tears.  "Just get some sleep, that's what the rest of us do at night."  At that moment he closed the door, and left the scared woman alone in the dark hallway.

Kneeling in defeated on the floor, the silver haired woman's tears continued to fall like rain. _ No… not you too Tenchi.  _Looking up, the lithe woman reached her hand towards the door, thinking she would simply phase through it.  Yet something deep inside stopped her.  _I could get back in there easy, but what good would it do?  Tenchi would just throw me out again.  Maybe I could just watch him tonight, like I always do.  No.  That's not enough anymore; the dreams are too strong now.  I have to think of something else. _

Clutching her hands into fists, the slender woman vanished, filling the air with a hiss, as she teleported far away.  

**Outside: **

**The Dock:**

As the moon hung high in the sky, a cool breeze blew across the still lake, causing the woman, who stood alone on the pier's, tight tartan and blue dress to blow slightly in the wind.  Sighing, Ryoko tossed a stone across the lake, watching it skip numerous times before landing on the far side of the lake.  Suddenly a faint clicking noise from behind caused the lithe woman to turn, seeing an old man in white robes with gray hair, coming out of the Masaki home.  

"What are you doing down here?" she snapped, in no mood to be bothered by her former archenemy.  "Aren't you Shinto priests supposed to stay in your temples?"

"Normally, but I felt the winds changing, as if something important was about to occur," the eldest Masaki admitted.  "So, I came to see how everyone was fairing in this storm, but apparently they are all already asleep.  What you doing up?"  He asked with a smile, " Planning something for my grandson?"

With a forced laugh, Ryoko shook her head.  "Is that all I am to everybody, a pretty face that is obsessed only with sleeping with Tenchi?"  

Seeing his attempt at humor had become offensive, the old man bowed slightly.  "I apologize I did not meant to ridicule you, Ryoko.  I merely-"

"Save it," she growled.  "I don't care anymore.  See I've been out here for a while now, thinking about some stuff, my dreams, my past, and … my future."

"Oh," Lord Katsuhito replied, "have you found any answers to your questions?"  Looking squarely into his deep red eyes, she nodded, saying nothing as her eyes told the whole story.  It was a look the man who was once called Yosho knew very well, for he had also bore it at one time.  "I see," he admitted.  "I will let the others know.  Where will you go?"

"It doesn't matter, no one wants me here anyway.  Just tell them I'm gone and that they better not bother me anymore, my future obviously isn't here.  It's time for me to make a few changes in my life," making her remark, the lithe woman began to walk away from the house, each footstep taking tremendous effort.  She could feel her former enemies eyes piercing into her back, and for a brief moment she stopped walking. 

_Who needs them anyway,_ the lithe woman thought timidly, clenching one fist in front of her before peering back at the quiet house for the last time, as a tear rolled down her cheek.  _I'm a big girl, and can take care of myself.  They were all too busy to listen to me when I had a problem, so who needs them?  _ Taking another step forward, the saddened space pirate turned her attention to the ground in front of her, deciding in her current mood to walk instead of fly.  

A few minutes later, as Yosho watched, the silver haired woman disappeared down the path, exiting his, and everyone else's life, perhaps forever. _I was right; the winds of life have changed.  I wonder if I should rejoice as Tenchi's life will now be simpler, or feel sad, as Ryoko has started down a new road alone, thinking there is nothing for her to fall back on.  _Looking past the house towards his temple, the gray-haired Masaki shook his head.  "I suppose prayer is in order."  Glancing in the direction the woman who had led him to Earth had gone Lord Katsuhito smiled. "Good luck, old friend may you have a safe journey." 

**Next Time:**  The next chapter marks the end of Ryoko, and the birth of a new character.  Meanwhile how will the gang act now that Ryoko is gone?  Is this Ayeka's time to shine, or will she mess it up?  

Chapter 02: A Purpose is found 


	2. Descent Proposal

**Life Changes: **

**Chapter 02:** **Descent Proposal**

**Okinawa: Late Night:**

As Tenchi Masaki and his extended family slept merrily in their beds, warm and comfortable thoughts drifting through their heads, one of their own had left them, setting off on her own.   Her name was Ryoko, daughter of Washu Hakubi, the proclaimed number one genius in the universe.  Yet despite her stunning beauty, power, and razor sharp wit, the lithe woman was currently running from something she knew she could never escape, her own past.  Finally, after hours of walking she found herself in the quiet town of Okinawa, where her family had always gone to shop.  To be honest she had nothing left on this world, no family, friends, or anything else that could tie her to this uncivilized mud ball.  However, the golden-eyed woman could not bring herself to leave Earth, or to tear her cabbit companion away from her friends, who still cared about the brown-furred creature.  

Stopping suddenly, Ryoko felt a sudden sense of familiarity around her.  Looking up she nodded slowly.  "My favorite saki bar," she whisper, her throat hoarse from the crying she had done since leaving the house.  Placing one hand on the door she paused._  Why not?  What do I have to lose?  I might as well drink myself to death.  There's nothing left for me anyway… not here at least. _

"Hey Ryoko," a small old lady yelled from behind the counter, casting a friendly wave towards the entering woman.  She was a simple elderly woman, with her gray hair done up in a bun, and short white robes with a red sash around the waist.  Nearly a foot shorter than the golden-eyed woman, the barkeeper seemed genuinely pleased to see the depressed ex-space pirate.  

Sitting down hard on a barstool Ryoko ignored everything else around her as she focused on the counter top as if it held all the answers to her questions.   "Hey Kazumi…" she sighed in a disheartened tone.  "Give me the usual, and keep them coming…."

"Sure thing, dear," the gray haired owner said with a smile to he favorite regular.  "You seem kind of down today, did you have another fight with Tenchi?"

"Yeah…."

"Well cheer up, I'm sure it's nothing major.  Tenchi's a good kid.  I don't know if I've told you this, but I've known him since he was barely able to walk.  I used to see him sometimes trying to walk with his dad, as they went shopping at the market."

"Wow… since he could walk," the lithe woman said with false shock, "wish I'd known him all his life like that…."

Sighing the elderly barkeep shook her head.  "You know what you need, a drinking cup."

Looking up, Ryoko seemed completely lost by that statement.  "What are you talking about?   You know I always just take the bottle.  Why waste time on pouring in into a glass, and-"

Reaching under the counter, Kazumi pulled out a tall glass, one that bore the silver-haired woman's name across it in golden lettering.  "I was going to give it to you on your wedding day," she explained to her down trodden friend, "I've had this for about a month now.  But right now you look like you could use some cheering up."

"But why?" the former space pirate asked confused.  "I don't even pay my tab, why would you get me a present?"

"Cause I like you," the old lady laughed, setting down the glass, before filling it with Saki.  "Before I met you, I had the most boring job in town, pouring drinks for a bunch of worthless bums, who were always crying about their jobs and how much they hated everything.  But then one day you came in…" she said, looking at the ceiling as she recalled that day.  "I remember you were singing, some song you made up about Tenchi and how much you liked him."

"Hey I was already drunk at the time," the lithe woman laughed nasally, downing the saki in one long gulp.  Exhaling sharply the golden-eyed seductress wiped her mouth happily.  

"Yeah that's true," Kazumi declared.  "But every time you came in to buy Saki, you were always drunk. Then you'd tell me some ridiculous tale about space pirates, demons, and alien princesses.  At first I thought you were trying to trick me into giving you free saki, but after a while I started waiting for you to come in.  I know it seems silly, but your goofy stories gave my life something to look forward to."

"I see," Ryoko nodded, grabbing the bottle to pour herself a refill.  "Well, I'll drink to your entertainment then."  

"So why don't you tell me what happened to get you in a such a foul mood?  Was it that Ayeka girl again?" Looking away, the smaller woman caught a man casually heading towards the door without paying.  "HEY!" she yelled, "don't think you can sneak out on me…!  I may be old, but I am not blind…."

As Kazumi ran over to apprehend the thief, the golden-eyed demoness finished off her bottle._  Is this what my life is reduced to?  Being someone else's entertainment?   Maybe that's what everyone back home… no… back at **Tenchi's **home, thinks of me.  The goofy space pirate who can't do anything write.  _Slamming down her drained glass Ryoko looked up, "better get a few more bottles," she belched. "I've got a few long stories to tell you, and I'm gonna be needing something to drink…."

**Hours later: **

As night faded nearly complete away, Ryoko stopped drinking, as the affects of the countless bottles of saki impairing her ability to move very well.   The small owner no longer stood by talking to her, instead the little old lady spent her time collecting the glasses as she waited patiently for her last customer to leave for the night._  Ryoko always is the last to leave, especially when she fights with Tenchi.  I wonder what it was about this time?    She probably broke something.  Well anyway, I suppose I should send her on her way…._

Just as the old owner prepared to send the well liquored space pirate on her way, a jingle came from the door.  Continuing to walk towards her  customer, the old woman never took her eyes off the door, until with a heavy sigh she saw who it was. 

"Hey, Kazumi," a stout police officer said, coming through the door.  His uniform though pressed and neat still seemed rough, as if it didn't fit him properly.  

"Hello, Officer Tobin." She smiled standing behind the counter just before where Ryoko lay heavily sedated by the saki she had drunken.   

"I see you're still open.  Don't you ever close?  I… oh.  Hello Ryoko," he said, seeing the lithe woman surrounded by more than her usual amount of empty Saki bottles.  "I should have known you'd still be here.  But it is late, and I'm sure Kazumi would like to get some sleep before tomorrow.  So don't you think you should be getting home?  I'm sure Tenchi is worried."  

Looking over the stout officer, Ryoko quickly bit her lip, before burying her face in her arms and crying loudly.  

"Her and Tenchi had another fight," Kazumi said, patting the lithe figure on the back tenderly.  

"Ah… I see. Well, look Ryoko it's late why don't you head home?"  the portly policeman asked, holding his hands out as if he were completely helpless.  

"No," she whispered. "I can't go there.  Not anymore… never again…."

Frowning officer Tobin shook his head.  "Well you can't stay here, Ryoko.  Look I'll give you a choice, go back home, or I'll have to take you to the station for the night."

"Fine."  Ryoko uttered standing up quickly, wiping the tears away with her sleeve as she stood uncertainly on shaky legs.  

Smiling Tobin nodded his approval.  _I hate to have to use that one on her, but she needs to get home.  I know she hates being confined, because she always runs away when I give her this choice._  "Okay then, tell the others I said 'hi.'"

Yet the lithe woman said not a word, instead facing him she extended both wrists forward.  "Go ahead…" she whispered. "Arrest me."

"What?" the chief of police said in shock, noticing the old barkeep also seemed taken aback by her statement.  

"I said, arrest me.  Take me to jail," Ryoko growled.  "I can't go back to Tenchi's, not now or ever again.  It's over between him and I.  From this moment on, I don't exist to him and he doesn't exist to me."

Grabbing one of her slender wrists, the officer looked at her skeptically.  "Are you serious?" he asked flatly. 

"Of course I am," she replied. "Now do it.  Take me to jail."  

Shaking his head, the stout man sighed. "It's really jail, Ryoko."  he admitted comfortingly. "It is a cell, with a barred door, but you'll only be there until the morning.  Then you can go home, wherever you decide that is."

**The Street:**

Walking beside the slender beauty, officer Tobin regarded her sadly.  If he were young again, he would probably take advantage of this recent break up between Tenchi and Ryoko and try to ask the lithe woman out.  However he knew he was too old for her, and besides he knew deep down that she would refuse any man who tried to take Tenchi's place in her heart.  

"Let me get this straight, Ryoko," he started continuing to help the drunken woman along.  "You left Tenchi, right?  I didn't think even you could just stopping loving Tenchi like that.  Must have been some fight you two had, but don't worry by morning everything will be fine, and then you can go home. "

Tearing herself away from the stout man, the golden-eyed woman hollered her reply.  "First of all I didn't stop loving him.  I don't think I'll ever be able to do that!  **He's** the one who stopped caring about **me**, so since he don't care…" she began, plodding along with a deep brow, "I'll just leave him alone, see how he likes it with… me… gone.   Second I can't go home, because I don't have one, not anymore.  Tenchi and I didn't have to have a fight… I'm on my own, since he couldn't fit me into his heart, since he cared more about making models and yelling at me than he did what I was feeling." Like a flash of lightning Ryoko's mind recalled an image, of another man who used her for his purposed, one who was obsessed with his toys and inventions, and who also did not care about her feelings.   _Kagato…_ she thought darkly, seeing a connection between her devil and angel, one she had never seen until then.  It was a rather sobering thought, one that allowed her to walk a little better as her advanced system began working on detoxifying her blood quickly as the fear welled up in her heart.   I could **never** hurt  Kagato… and I could never **hurt** Tenchi….

_This is really eating her up,_ he noted sadly. _ It's kind of creepy in a way. I've seen Ryoko mercilessly tear through a biker gang for trying to stop her from getting home after she bought her saki.  Something about seeing Tenchi first when he got home. I remember they had chains, knives, and their fists, but Ryoko took them all on in about thirty seconds without breaking a sweat.  That must be some training she's done up at the Masaki place.  _

Looking at the lithe woman once again, the stout officer shook his head sorrowfully.  _Poor kid, she must have really had a bad fight with Tenchi to get this upset.  I hate to see her like this.  I mean what is wrong with kids today, why do they all have to constantly drink?  Back in my day we never did that.  Of course, we also never had all that gothic music and strange television shows to confuse our heads.  _

**A Short time later: The Police Station:**

"Are you sure about this, Ryoko?" the old officer asked, once again to the drunken woman as he opened a cell door, watching her stagger inside.  "If you want you can call home, and have them pick you up."  

"No, I can't do that.  They don't want me there anymore.  Besides this is where I belong," she admitted, slurring her words in a drunken state.  "After all the bad things I did…."

Shaking his head, the stout man sighed, looking around at some of the rough looking characters in the various cells.  "Word to the wise, 'gentlemen,' and I use the term very loosely.  Don't mess with her.  You don't want to face the consequences."

Hearing his words, Ryoko sighed heavily having calmed down since her earlier comparison. _ Everyone who meets me faces consequences.  Their lives are all ruined by my touch.  As I think about it life was always better when I wasn't there.  When I was in the cave, no one was attacked by the dread space pirate, Ryoko or her partner, Ryo-Ohki, and Tenchi didn't have me bothering him all the time.  _

**Later that night:**

As Ryoko continued to brood over her past, and battle off sleep as best she could, the other prisoners, all men, talked amongst themselves.  One group in particular seemed rather interested in the seductive woman as each one gave reasons why he should, 'go first,' with her.  

"Hey there sweetie," the largest of the young men chuckled, examining the trying to sleep woman as if she were merely a piece of meat.  "How's about you and me share a cell.  You won't get any sleep, but I'll keep you warm."  As he spoke, the other delinquents with the bragging youth cheered for their comrade, continuing to inflate his extreme ego.  

Unimpressed, Ryoko merely laughed to herself, as she continued to face the back wall of her cell, huddled up as if she were about to die of some strange stomach pain or a severe cold.  "First off you couldn't keep me up for five seconds, let alone all night.  Second I'd rather freeze then let an idiot like you touch me.  Why don't you do us all a favor and just shut up and sit there like a good boy, and play with your boyfriends.  There's only one man for me, and you aren't him."  Laying her head back down, the mentally worn space pirate slowly closed her eyes, trying to picture what everyone else was doing back in Okinawa at that moment.  _They're probably still asleep; I'd love to see the look on their faces when they find out I'm gone.  Of course they probably won't even notice.  I bet the first thing that happens is Ayeka tries to take my Tenchi to Jurai and get married to him.  That stupid bitch!  Why I'll… _

Sighing deeply Ryoko squirmed on her bench trying to get comfortable, feeling the affects of her numerous doses of saki as her system allowed it to course through and make her drowsy.  _I won't do anything.  I can't.  If I go back it'll be the same as when I worked for Kagato, getting bossed around, insulted, and made to feel worthless.  Well I'm not going to do that anymore! _

Closing her eyes, the silver-haired woman finally succumbed to her weariness.  A single thought floating to the surface of her mind as she lost consciousness.  _I've been wanted by two men in my life.   Kagato wanted me to do terrible things to please him, and Tenchi who wanted me to be me so he could decide my future in his own time.  For the life of me I don't know anymore, I don't know which thought is worse.  What I was or what I have to pretend to be…._

Just when her consciousness had finally faded, and the nightmares were about to begin anew, a sudden noise brought her out of her sleep.  Looking over her shoulder, one of the prisoner's was gesturing towards her, as he continued to make rude comments towards her as she lay prone on her bed.  _No… _she thought darkly, not seeing him, but something much worse as reality began to swirl around, taking a red tone as all the light in the room, seemed to bleed out.   

Soon everything came into focus and she found herself back on the Soja in a small cell with very little light.  Wrapping her arms around her chest the lithe woman balled up almost instantly as she felt an icy chill pierce her tender soul.   A few feet away, she saw the vague outline of her battle outfit, the one she wore when attacking the various planets she had been on.  She felt revulsion at the mere sight of it, as it symbolized her doing Kagato's dirty work for him.  Thus at this time she lay on the cold floor of her confines without anything on.  Wanting nothing that was associated with her personal devil to be touching her flesh.  

As Ryoko curled up into a ball, one of the prisoners decided to make a rather offensive remark.  However it was not a stupid punks voice, but one much more cold and cruel that echoed in her ears.  Instantly she recognized the man who it belonged to, Kagato.  The emerald cloaked man laughed, as she heard the door to her room slam shut behind him.   "It looks as if you really do need my company, my dear.  Perhaps there is hope for you yet." As he spoke the silver-haired woman's keen ears hear the sound of a large piece of cloth hitting the floor.  "I'm sure we can find some way to pass the time before we get to Jurai," she heard in her mind.  

_He's taken off his cloak,_ she noted darkly, only guessing what would happen next.  "Leave me alone… I don't want you to touch me," she cried out in a painful whimper. 

  
"What was that, darling?" the prisoner across the hall from her asked, his voice changing to her tormentors as she felt tears flood from her face.  "You aren't so tough are you, baby?"

"No…." she gasped in terror, hearing echoing footfalls in her mind, as another piece of cloth fell heavily to the ground.  _It's going to happen… he's going to make me… make me… I have to fight back… even if I die!_

Leaping to her feet, the woman in the blue and tartan striped dress glared at her tormentor, tears pouring form her weary eyes.  The massive prisoner was about to make a fatally rude comment, when the lithe woman soared at him, flying through the air, yet thankfully her jail cell door barred her path, but only for a second as she tore it from it's hinges.  "I said leave me alone, Kagato!" she hissed, beginning to rip the remaining door from it's place.  The steel beams moaned painfully as she twisted them in their molds.  "No force field will stop me,  you won't lay a finger one me!  I'd rather die."

"Okay!  Okay!" the big man cried, now curling up in the corner as he saw the insane look in Ryoko's eyes.  "I promise I won't say another word.  Just please, don't hurt me!"

Breathing raggedly, the busty woman suddenly felt the world spin once again, as the Soja vanished around her, instead replaced by the jail cell.  In her hands she saw the metal bars twisted into an extreme 's' shape.  Inside the cell she had been attacking the pompous young man cringed with his comrades who all bore a petrified look in their eyes as they regarded Ryoko with terror._  I remember that night, Kagato was going to rape me.  Just to say he did, so he could hold that over me.  That he had taken my innocence on all levels, but we too close to Jurai, and we were attacked.  That's why he sent me on Ryo-Ohki to Jurai.  Since the Soja couldn't make it through their defenses, but I could.  He still controlled me, but I fought as best I could.  In the end all I could do was run, that was when Prince Yosho chased me to Earth.  Kagato wanted him dead, so his last orders to me, before he turned tail and ran, was to kill the prince of Jurai.  I knew what he was going to do to me when I got back.  I didn't want my first experience to be with a monster like that… not then… or ever.  It's the last bit of innocence I have left.  I won't let anyone take that from me.  _

Placing both hands over her face, Ryoko shook her head angrily.  "Look," she said taking a claming breath as she grabbed the bars, easily twisting them back in place. "Not another word, from anyone all night.  Or I make you look like this door," reaching down, the golden-eyed woman hefted up her prison door in one hand, effortlessly as she put it back in place, and quickly bent the brackets to close it up.   At that moment, the door flew open, and the night watchman stepped in looking about skeptically at the stunned prisoner's as they watched the busty woman resume her attempt at sleep.  

"All right," the young officer barked. "Keep it down, the chief's friend is trying to sleep off a hangover.  She's had a rough night, so anyone who bothers her has to answer to both the chief and me!"  With that the blonde man slammed the door, the echo reverberating through the quiet room.  

It had been a long night for the lithe woman, and it was only beginning as the last of her strength faded, she felt herself once again fall asleep and visions of dying worlds flooded her battered mind relentlessly.  

**Masaki House: Breakfast:**

The sun rose slowly over the Masaki house, and a serene peace filled the air.  To those who lived in the red-roofed home it was both a welcome and unsettling change.  Inside the luxurious building, a rather unique family gathered for breakfast, just as they were about to begin, a young man noticed something was wrong.  

"Has anyone seen Ryoko," Tenchi asked, his face riddled with concern as he looked around the room, waiting for the lithe woman to suddenly appear and try to sexually assault him.  With a barrage of muddled responses, everyone looked in different directions.  

"I haven't seen her since yesterday morning, when she ruined breakfast," Sasami pouted, reaching forward with her chopsticks to pluck a few noodles from the broth they rested in.  "I can't believe she did that, Tenchi.  Did you talk to her about it?"  The young man nodded, realizing he had forgotten in his haste last night, to ask her why she had been on a rampage through the house.  

"I saw her," Mihoshi declared, before swallowing down more rice than she should have humanly been able to do.  "Kiyone did too, yesterday when she ruined the laundry."

"That's right," Ayeka commented delicately, cutting all her food into such small of pieces that no one could tell what she was actually eating.  "I believe that was right before she invaded my bath, rambling on about something.  She was so incoherent, going on about some strange dream.  But then she left when I started to make conversation with her."

"Well at least you didn't have to spend hours repairing a delicate piece of machinery that she busted in a hissy fit," Washu growled still a little agitated by her daughter's behavior, but more so that she could feel her daughter's presence, yet it felt quiet distant._  Where are you, Ryoko?  You never miss a meal.   Unless Tenchi's missing it, and then you're normally the reason you both miss out…._  Taking a moment to look at the small cabbit, the emerald-eyed genius quickly noticed the furry space ship seemed lost, continuously glaring into the distance as if she were looking for, or perhaps waiting for something.  Something that would never come.  _Damn it, _Washu mentally hissed. _ I was right, Ryoko's gone somewhere and she's trying to block me out using her gem.  Now I can't even be sure of where she is…._

"I saw her last night, before she left," the old priest remarked, taking a long sip of his tea.  "She told me to tell you all goodbye."

"What?" everyone screamed in unison. 

"Something about being hated, or hating everyone," the gray-haired Masaki shrugged as if none of this was his concern.  "I wasn't really paying attention to her, after all I had my own things to do.  It's so hard to get anything done when someone is always bothering you for help, you know."  Hearing his words, the entire table fell silent, everyone shocked that the priest would be so calloused.  It saddened the old Jurain prince that not a one of his family understood the deeper meaning of his word, but then again, save Washu, they were all so very young, compared to him.   "Anyway, she sounded as if she was leaving forever, so I wished her well.  Now then, I really must be going," he said simply, wiping his mouth as he stood from the table.  "Thank you for the wonderful breakfast, Sasami."  Bowing respectfully the Jurain prince turned away from his family, a small playful look on his face.  

"Wait, Grandpa!" Tenchi screamed out, prepared to give chase if need be.  "Where did she go, what do you mean by that?"  he asked, a terrified look on his face. 

"Don't look so sad, Tenchi," Lord Katsuhito remarked, casually looking over his shoulder at his grandson with a powerful smile, as he slowly made his way towards the door leading outside.  "This is what you've always wanted, wasn't it?  To finally know what your heart wants.  In a way, Ryoko did you a favor. Now at least knowing who you love will be easier."  There was a double meaning to the old priests words, one Tenchi might never understand, but at that moment Ayeka's eyes seemed to take on a heavenly glow. "Oh and one other thing, I almost forgot to mention,"  pausing the old man adjusted his glasses, before taking them off to check how clean the lens was.  For a few minutes he rubbed them on his white robe, holding them up the light every few seconds.  Finally he spoke again.  "Ryoko did tell me that we were not to look for her.  That her future was obviously not her, and that she was going to go through a few changes in her life.  And that if anyone tries to find her, she'll kill them."  As he said the last part the priest nearly smiled at his lie.  He knew Ryoko had not said such a thing about killing anyone, but then he also knew that Tenchi was stubborn and would pursue her as if she were lost property unless clearly forbidden, and even then it was uncertain as to how much he would honor that wish. 

With a heavy heart, the young prince sat down, unsure of what he should be feeling.  His chest felt numb, but at the same time he knew what his grandfather meant by his words which made his heart beat with excitement.  _I spent all my time trying to pick between Ryoko and Ayeka, but now… now it looks like the choice has been made for me.  I should be happy, since I do care about Ayeka, but… I guess I just wish I could have been the one to decide all this.  Or at least get a chance to say goodbye…._

_This is it, my prayers have been answered!   Thank Tsunami for this.  I can't believe it, Ryoko is gone… _Ayeka gasped looking at Tenchi with happy, longing eyes._  Which means I won!  Lord Tenchi and I can finally get married!  I knew this day would come, ever since brother gave Tenchi and I his blessing before we had to go save that pitiful monster woman. *1_

_Gone… forever… _Washu thought horrified, setting her chopsticks down as she swallowed her own spit.  _My little girl… gone… but… but… why…  I don't understand…_  Rising to her feet quickly the little genius ran from the table towards her lab, never once saying a word as she practically flew through the house.  The only sound that escaped the diminutive red-haired woman was the sob she made when she paused for a quick breath as she flung open her door, and then slammed it shut. 

Sasami took the news hard, "Ryoko can't be gone!"  She shouted, terrified to the core as her last words to the seductive woman had been done in anger.  She had never had a chance to apologize, and thank Ryoko for her help, no matter how destructive it might have seemed at the time.  _I should have talked to her, when she asked.  But I was too obsessed with breakfast. _ Rising up the little princess's face streamed with tears.  "Stupid breakfast!" the pink-eyed child screamed. "I won't ever make another one until Ryoko comes home."  With that odd statement, the youngest Jurain ran up the stairs, forgetting her manners in her moment of grief as she made her way to her room, more than ready to cry her beautiful pink eyes out.  

Kiyone was the next to stand up, looking at her partner with skeptical eyes.  "come on, Mihoshi.  We have a lot of work to do."

"Are we going to find Ryoko?" the blue-eyed woman inquired tears welling on her eyelids.  

  
"No, we've got out own chores to do.  I'm sure Ryoko will come home by tonight, you'll see.  Now come on, bubble head" she snapped angrily, "we don't have all day!"  with that the teal-haired woman stormed from the table, heading towards the closet containing her vacuum.  _I've been a GP officer for years.  But in all that time never, not even once, have I met a space pirate who was as good a friend, as loyal, as caring, and as helpful as Ryoko.  I wish I had known she felt hat way, I would have tried harder to make her feel better.  Now it's too late.  But I can't cry, GP officer's don't cry.  We raise above it all._   Telling herself that continuously, Kiyone still could not make herself belief that lie.  No matter how much she tried to suppress it, in the end she was still a human like anyone else.  She dreaded the coming of night, when she'd have to think about not seeing Ryoko anymore_.   I wish I were as strong as Ryoko, then stupid things like being sad about the past wouldn't affect me…._

**The Police Station:**

As the Masaki family reeled at the sudden news of Ryoko's disappearance, life began once again in Okinawa.  Pushing a small cart, the blonde middle-aged man looked around at the exhausted looking criminals with disdain.  "All right, you low lives, back up.  I've got your breakfast."  Despite the authority in his voice, no one moved from their spots, remaining content to merely sit in the spot they had been in all night, and watch Ryoko sleep, hoping she would not wake up in a foul mood, once again.  

"Tell me, how long is she gonna be here?"  The large man asked, casting a terrified look at the silver-haired woman.   He had made a terrible mistake the night before and wanted to get as far from Ryoko as possible.  

Shrugging the blonde officer shook his head.  "I don't know, as long as she wants.  She let us put her in their last night, after going on a drinking binge.  Poor kid…."

Hearing this, the battered youth's face went pale as he thought about being trapped for yet another night with Ryoko.  "Look man, I'll tell you anything you want to know.  Where my buddies are, what they got planned, just don't leave me alone with her!  She's dangerous."

As the young man shouted out, Ryoko sat up, holding her head painfully in both hands.  "Hey!  I thought I told you to keep it down," she moaned, sounding rather hung-over.  "Do I have to come over there?"

Casting a confused look at shaken youth, the officer quickly looked over at the lithe woman who lay with her back to him.  _I better go talk to the chief…._

**Hour's Later:**

Stretching her slender body to its limits, Ryoko squinted as she left the jail area and stepped into the bustling office.  All at once, the male officers all stopped as she exited the jail area, their eyes instantly drawn to the beauty of the lithe woman who graced them with her presence.    
  
"Excuse me…" one cadet said, stepping out from the crowd of stunned men.  "The Chief would like to see you… miss… if you have a moment…."  Seeing her look at him with an exhausted look, Ryoko seemed to be sizing the young man up.  Grabbing his hand off his head, the smaller man twisted the brim continuously in his hands as he nervously waited to see her reply.  

Blowing out hard, the golden-eyed woman shook her head. _ This better not be about those damn doors.  _

 ****

**The Chief's Office:**

Entering the small office, the golden-eyed woman cautiously looked around.  Not seeing any obvious traps, she entered into the room with her usually grace.  "you wanted to see me about something Tobin?  Look if it's about last night, I was drunk."

"So Ryoko, do you feel any better today," Tobin asked, noting she looked like death warmed over, despite how she tried to hide it.  

"What do you think…" she groaned, sounding as if she might vomit at any moment.  "Between that annoying punk in the cells, my hangover, and nightmares, do you think I'm having a good day?"

"Yes…" the elderly officer acknowledged bobbing his head as he pretended to read a document on his desk.   "So are you going home, then?"

"No." Ryoko answered bluntly and without any emotion, yet despite her best efforts a subtle pain could be heard in her words.  "I'll never go back to Tenchi's.  Why should I, after the way he-"

"Okay then," he interrupted. "Then I have a proposition for you, Ryoko."

Looking at him through exhausted eyes, the silver-haired woman shook her head 'no.'  "Sorry, you aren't my type."

Turning bright red, the embarrassed man waved his hands frantically before him.  "Not that kind of proposition!" he yelled in a panicked hiss.  "I want to offer you a job.  We're really low on officers, and by law I can deputize anyone I see fit, in order to maintain social order."

"You want me to be a police woman," Ryoko echoed, looking at him as if he were crazy. "Do you mean that?"

"Of course I mean it," the captain said flatly.  "We could really use someone like you around here.  I mean I've been trying for months to get one of those punks to rat out their friends, and you got a confession out him in one night!  Now maybe we can get this vandalism problem under control.  Besides, you have no where to go, and no one on the force can fight as good as you.  I realize you're a bit rough around the edges, but still you've got potential."

Once again Ryoko felt a chill run down her spine as she recalled her earliest memory.  She had just woken for the first time, and Kagato stood over her smiling.  She remembered being scared, knowing who was before her yet at the same time realizing she knew nearly nothing else.  Her flesh tingled in the chill of the Soja, as she saw she wore nothing upon her body.  "Well my dear, Ryoko I see you're finally operational.  It's about time.  I thought I'd have to scrap you like all my other worthless pieces of junk."  Ripping her off the bed, he threw her hard to the ground.  "Listen well, Ryoko." he coldly told her, kicking her in the rib hard. "I don't want you to misunderstand me.  You are a worthless, useless, hideous machine completely unlovable and not pitied by anyone.  You exist to please me and make my ever whim reality."  Kicking her once more, the lithe woman felt a rib crack as his leather boot collided with her frame.  "But don't worry.  I realize you're a bit rough around the edges, but still you've got potential.  It's for that reason I'll let you live…." 

Shaking her head, the golden-eyed woman tried to banish the dark memory from her mind, yet all she could see was Kagato's face laughing as he knew he would could do whatever he wanted to her an no one could stop him.  Not then, nor ever.  "…." she answered, in a raspy voice. 

"What did you say?" Tobin asked hoping she would repeat herself.  

  
"I said, 'yes,'" Ryoko declared, echoing her previous statement.  "But only on one condition, don't call me Ryoko.  That's not who I am, not anymore."

"Okay," the stout man laughed, "then what should I call you?" 

For a moment, the golden-eyed woman went silent, and then she smiled, looking at herself in a mirror at the far end of the room.  "Sylvia, Sylvia Hakubi."

**Next Time:**  So marks the end of Ryoko's life with the Masaki's.  But now an even greater task presents itself, as the lithe woman must now go out hunting for an apartment of her own as she prepares to start her new life as an officer of the law!   And wait until you see Ryoko's first beat!  Plus, Tenchi and Ayeka spend some quality time together, however that is just a small piece of our story, as this is a Ryoko fan fiction, mind you!

1: Tenchi Muyo: Episode 5  Kagato Attacks


	3. Sylvia Hakubi

**Life Changes:**

Chapter 03: Sylvia Hakubi, Police Woman 

**Late Afternoon:**

**The Okinawa Mall:**

For those who are seeking a special gift, to do some important shopping, meet friends and family, or to just waist an afternoon, the mall in Okinawa is truly the place to go.  Currently a tall woman with long spiky cyan hair, golden eyes, and a blue and brown striped dress strolled through the busy meeting place as she stared with extreme intensity at the paper in her hands.  Hanging loosely from her arms were many bags, filled with what she deemed to be the bare essentials to life on Earth: soap, brushes, a rolled up cot, to lay on, and, of course, a few bottles of saki._Let's see now… _she thought as she continued on her way.  _I've got about 44,500; of the 65,000*1 yen the chief gave me as an advance on my salary, left.  I still need to find a place to stay, but Kazumi did give me this….  _

Reaching into her pocket, the woman who was once Ryoko pulled out a small piece of scrap paper where a name and address were inscribed. _ Good ol' Kazumi.  I hated to have to trick her like that,_ she thought recalling how she had used her ability to split in two so that the old barkeep would actually think Sylvia was Ryoko's sister, and that the golden-eyed woman was now forced to go back home.  _But she did promise to send over a few more bottles of Saki once Sylvia gets moved in.  The only down side is this place is run by her granddaughter, who, from what I can figure, isn't all there.   _

Sighing painfully the cyan haired woman shook her head as she looked around.  Suddenly she saw something familiar out of the corner of her eye. _ Hey!  Isn't that a… _Sylvia thought taking a single step forward before being slammed into by a smaller man who had been running down the hallway. 

"Watch where you're going!"  She snapped, grabbing the dazed figure by the collar of his coat.  "Don't you know who I am?"

"No I don't, but if you're free tonight, my name is Lupin*2, Lupin the third!" he casually replied, causing the cyan-haired woman to cast him a confused gaze.  He was not an impressive man to look at by any means.  He stood nearly a foot to two feet shorter than her; his hair was in a small black afro-like style.  Yet there was something in his eyes that caught the lithe woman's attention.  As she examined him, the golden-eyed officer noticed the young man trying to pull his jacket free without using his hands.

"Haven't a clue," Sylvia admitted, now noticing the little figure had his arms crossed in front of his chest.   Glaring hard at him, she soon saw why.  In his arms were multiple diamonds and other valuable jewels.  Looking away, the golden-eyed officer soon heard the sound of a burglar alarm, which she hadn't heard before because of her inner turmoil and weariness.   "Oh wait, I know what you are," the lithe woman laughed.  "You're under arrest."

"Wait, can't we talk about this?  I really can't go to jail," he pleaded.  "It's not the life style for a guy like me."

"Oh really," the former resident of the Masaki house admitted, "well I hate to break this to you, Mr. Lupin, but I'm a police officer," hearing this the slender youth's face soon turned a pasty white, "Officer Sylvia Hakubi at your service, "she grinned evilly continuing to hold the now defeated figure as she bowed in mock respect.

**Later:**

Shortly after the lithe woman had made her arrest, and been interviewed by the local press on her accomplishments, she found herself alone once again as she strolled down the peaceful back alleys looking for the apartments that her companion, Kazumi, had told her about.  

_Ah! Damn it,_ the lithe woman growled, as she walked down the street carrying her many bags, including one that was wrapped in brown paper.  _Where is this place at anyway?  _

I don't know anymore.  I don't have a clue what I'm doing, or where I'm going.  I mean why would I, Ryoko, the most feared space pirate alive want to be a cop, and why did I pick the last name Hakubi?  That's Washu's last name damn it!  

_It's simple,_ she told herself._  I picked the job, because I, better than anyone else, know how a criminal thinks.  But the only thing I can think of about the name is that I must not be as creative as I thought. _ She lied, knowing deep down she wanted to be found by her family and asked to return.  However at this moment the pain of their shunning and own stubborn pride prevented her from returning on her own.  _This is probably more of that emotional crap coming down on me.  I wouldn't be having this problem if that damn Kagato hadn't screwed up my life for 5,000 years.  _

Walking a few moments more, the slender woman soon stopped, looking at the paper in her hand, and the building before her.  "Karka's Place…" she read aloud.  _This is the place,_ she realized as she headed inside the quaint complex.   

**Inside:**

As she opened the door, the lithe officer smelt the powerful scent of incense, like the kind used at the Masaki shrine.  The sudden bombardment of her nasal passages caused the lithe woman to have another flashback, to a time long ago.  

"Excuse me," a voice called out just as the scene around her was about to change into some dark perversion of reality.  Shaking her head, Sylvia turned her gaze to her side, where a slightly shorter youth stood looking at her.   The golden-eyed woman took one look at her new companion, and felt a wave of confusion as this newcomer.  She stood a few feet away, wearing an orange shirt, which even the former space pirate had to agree was a few sizes too small, with no sleeves, and a pair of worn shorts. It was obvious this woman was used to getting the boys attention, as her face was lightly covered in make-up, just enough to make her appear in her late teens, while her long blonde hair was tied up neatly behind her head in a bun.  "Can I help you?" she asked, waving slightly to the staring woman.  

"Yeah…" the golden-eyed woman managed, "I'm looking for the owner of these apartments."

"That's me," she chimed happily, causing her chest to bounce slightly.  "I'm Karka!  Are you the new tenant my grandmother sent over?"

Nodding, Sylvia sudden realized something.  "Tell me, how many tenants here are guys?"

"All of them." Karka announced slightly put off by this comment.  "I'm glad you want to stay here, it's so boring with only men living here, but for some reason I can't get any women to move in.  I mean some couples have lived here, but they always break up.  I think the hot spring might be cursed…." Placing a finger to her mouth, she tapped it gently.  "Anyway, would you like to see the room?"

"Sure," the new officer replied, realizing it was probably the landlord's beauty, and not the quality of the apartments, which kept tenants here.  

"By the way," the hazel-eyed landlord suddenly said as she lead Sylvia down a long hallway, "excuse my appearance, I just got done taking a bath, and cleaning the Onsen.  So I realize I'm a bit unkempt looking."

_Great… _Sylvia sighed painfully, picking up her things to follow the young woman once again. _My new landlord is a cross between Mihoshi and me.  Only she doesn't know she's like me.   This can't be good…._

**A short distance later:**

After fumbling through numerous keys, Karka threw open the door to the promised room, with all her might as if it were a surprise party.  "Here's the room." The young woman announced with amazing pride, despite the fact it wasn't that big.  "The Onsen and toilets are down the hall."

Looking at the offered room the golden-eyed woman did not seem impressed.  The apartment before her was a single room, in an 'L' shape.   The main portion of the room was a twenty-foot square, where an old sofa rested, a worn sheet thrown over it to hide the poor condition the cushions were in.  In the smaller portion of the room, a refrigerator and sink rested, with a small card table, which seemed quiet sturdy, sitting before them.  Two folding chairs were propped beside the small table, signifying they belonged to it.  A single door came from the wall to her left, leading into the bedroom.  _This is what Kazumi considers a great room?  _Shaking her head, the silver-haired woman breathed with a heavy sigh, as she set down her items. "I'll take it.  How much did you want?"

"A month?  You seem like a nice lady, and I don't get many women staying here, so….  I'd let you have it for… 26,000 yen a month.*1   Of course," she chimed shaking a finger at her newest client, "if you cause problems I'm going to have to charge you more, so please don't do that, okay?"  The bubbly woman smiled as she watched Sylvia set down her few belongings in the room, "By the way, what do you do for a living?  You said you were a friend of my grandmother, but she never leaves the bar, so you must have been there to meet her.  Are you a stripper or a call girl?"  She asked, figuring it was the most likely career for a woman who spent all her time with an old barkeeper.  "Because if you are, and you plan on having people over a lot, I'll have to ask for a bigger deposit on the room."  Pausing, Karka merely looked at the silver-haired woman with a waiting expression. 

"I'm a police officer," Sylvia announced, opening one of her bags to pull out a new uniform, which Tobin had given her just before she left that morning to go buy her essentials with the advance she had been given.  

"Wait a minute," the young woman said, shaking a finger at her newest addition.  "Are you that new officer from the news?"  

"The one who caught that jewel thief.  That's me, officer Sylvia Hakubi."

"Really!"  The blonde woman smiled, hoping up and down excitedly, showing another reason she was always paid rent on time.  Despite her attraction to Tenchi, the golden-eyed woman couldn't help but stare at her new landlord, whose giggly nature was nearly hypnotic.  "That is so cool, wait until all my friends at school hear!  I can't believe it I have a celebrity in my apartments!"  Continuing to chatter on endlessly, the little girl hopped about in a dance that involved a vast quantity of spinning and clapping.  "It really is too bad though, about your arrest.  How that Interpol detective messed it all up by letting that guy you caught get away. I mean I was so bummed, but I'm sure you'll catch him again.  After all it really does take a woman's touch to make sure stuff is done right, like I was telling my grandmother a week ago…."

After a few moments, the silver-haired officer turned away, feeling her stomach becoming uneasy at the sight of anyone spinning that much.  Suddenly Karka stopped, looking at the golden-eyed woman happily.  "I'll tell you what, since you're a celebrity and all, I'll let you stay here for only 13,000 yen, and I'll even waive your deposit."

Reaching into her pocket, Sylvia grabbed the amount needed, and handed it to the goofy blonde.  "There, now if you could, let me know when my package arrives.  Your grandmother is shipping something over here tonight."

"Okay, welcome aboard," the hazel-eyed woman smiled.  "If you need me, my room is just behind the front desk.  This is so cool," she began turning down the hall as she exited the room.  "I can't believe it, no one at college will believe that I have **thee** Officer Hakubi who caught the international jewel thief in my apartment!  I can't wait to tell somebody!"

**A few minutes later:**

Sighing, the lithe woman sat her packages down upon the small card table, shaking her head in disbelief.  _What a day this has been,_ she groaned, examining the brown paper bag on the table.  Reaching into the small bag, she casually began to put things away, even rolling out her cot; despite the fact she knew sleep wasn't a high priority for her.  

Upon finishing her homemaker tasks, the silver-haired former space pirate sighed as she removed a green bottle of Saki from the refrigerator uncorking it with a swift motion.  Taking a moment to enjoy the intoxicating scent, the golden-eyed woman plopped down on her rugged couch, examining her new surroundings.  

With a forced smile she nodded her approval.  "Well it's time to start a new life.  No more Tenchi, or anybody else, to make me feel worthless.  It's time for me to enjoy myself, and right now the best way I can think of to do that is to forget my stupid past." Saying nothing more, the upset woman quickly upended her large bottle of Saki, draining half of it in one gulp.  Exhaling sharply, the golden-eyed officer continued to drink, until the alcoholic beverage was gone.  

After sitting still a few moments, the lithe woman soon felt the affects of her potent drink, and soon lost consciousness.  For her first night as Sylvia Hakubi, Ryoko slept without nightmares.  It was by no means a restful slumber, as her powerful body spent much of the energy it gained from sleep fighting off the affects of the Saki she had consumed, however in her mind this strained slumber of nothingness was infinitely better than the night's prior that she had endured. 

**That afternoon: Tenchi's House:**

As Ryoko began her new life in Okinawa, Tenchi and his extended family continued their day-to-day activities apparently without so much as a single care for the golden-eyed seductresses disappearance.  

In the quiet setting of the afternoon, a certain young man casually raked the leaves in his yard, as he did everyday.  

  
"Hello, Lord Tenchi," a young voice called out from behind him. "How are you doing today?"

Nodding kindly, the brown-haired prince paused to wipe his brow.  "Hi, Ayeka, I'm doing pretty good.  I still can't believe she's gone…."

"Neither can I," the purple-haired woman echoed, although her voice carried no depression instead she sounded almost excitedly.  _Finally after so long, Ryoko is gone.  I never thought such a thing possible.  Of course I would have preferred it if I knew where she had went off to, but just knowing that I am now alone with Lord Tenchi is enough for now._  Clearing her throat, the young princess braced herself as she prepared to speak again.  "I was about to make some tea, would you care to join me?"  
  
Opening his mouth to reject her offer, the brown-eyed man stopped himself.  _Why should I say no, he thought, after all it's not like I'm going to make Ryoko angry by doing it?  She did leave….  _ Taking a deep breath, Tenchi nodded his agreement.   "Sure, I could use some tea right about now."

"Excuse me," a new voice intruded, as Sasami ran past the chatting duo.  

"Where are you going, Sasami?  We were supposed to make lunch together," the red-eyed princess remarked.   

"I know, I won't be gone long," the younger sister replied, "I just need to take this snack to grandfather." 

"Very well…" Ayeka said with an agitated growl, not liking the idea of her sister running about, which was not proper behavior for a princess of Jurai.   _I suppose I should not be too hard on Sasami, she was hurt by Ryoko's absence quiet hard.  However I will have to have a talk with her later on about all of this. After all, I am certain that now that Ryoko is gone things will begin to change around here between Lord Tenchi and I.  I can only imagine,_ she thought as an embarrassed expression came over her face._  It will not be much longer, before he proposes to me!  I just know it. _  

"Lady Ayeka?"  The sought after youth said weakly, waving in her face, "hello?"

Coming out of her daydream, the red-eyed woman blushed.  "I am sorry, I appear to have dazed off for a moment.  Excuse me; I need to get the tea ready…" saying nothing more, the slender woman in the pink kimono took off to begin her preparations for her date.  However the Jurain heir was not left alone for long, before a new woman joined him.

"Hello, Washu," the sought after youth greeted her kindly. 

"So, Tenchi," the red-haired genius began, watching the purple-haired woman leave slowly as she enjoyed the warmth of the afternoon sun, "I guess your grandfather was right after all.  I see Ryoko's leaving did make it easier for you to see who your hearts desire is."

"I'm sorry Washu," Tenchi declared. "I had hoped Ryoko wouldn't do this.  Of course, I knew one day she'd leave us if I ever was nicer to Ayeka than to her.  I just wish I knew what it was that made her so upset.  I mean…"

Holding up a single hand, the little genius stopped him.  "Don't try to figure her out," she advised.  "It's not something that can be done easily.  She's a complex little girl, but that's why I love her."  Saying nothing more, the youngest Masaki resumed his sweeping, as the green-eyed woman continued to stare off into the sky, wondering exactly where her daughter had gone.  

Had either figure been watching the news at that moment they would have received their answer, as an interview with certain officer was being played.   

**The Shrine:**

As Tenchi and Ayeka chatted about life in general, the blue-haired princess continued her journey to take her brother some refreshments.  Standing before the sliding door, the small girl paused for a moment as she heard a familiar voice coming from within the small shrine.  

"It really wasn't anything special," a hauntingly seductive voice laughed from inside.  "I'm just glad to do my part.  Oh, here you are detective."

"Why thank you," a more masculine voice intervened. "All right, Lupin, in the name of Interpol, I hereby…. HEY!  This isn't him!  It's a dummy!  Oh no!  He escaped again!"   

_That sounds like… Ryoko!_  Sasami thought excitedly as she threw open the door.  However it was not the golden-eyed woman, but her stepbrother, Yosho, who met her pink eyes.  From his place on the floor, sitting behind a small table he used for shrine business, the eldest Masaki seemed shocked by her sudden presence.   

Turning off the news program he had been watching, which now showed an elderly man beginning to talk about other local news, the man with eyes the color of royal teardrops smiled at his young guest warmly.  "Hello, Sasami, what is it you have there?  Is that for me?"

Confused the little princess didn't seem to hear him as she continued to look around the room with a vacant expression upon her face.  _I could have sworn I just heard Ryoko…._  Suddenly realizing her behavior was not what her sister would consider proper, the blue-haired youth quickly tried to clear her thoughts as she addressed her elder. "Excuse me, grandpa," she began trying to be polite and still keep up the façade they had between them of grandfather and grandchild, "but was Ryoko just hear?"

"Ryoko?"  He said, looking over his shoulder at the television.  For a long second the gray haired man said nothing, as if pondering everything carefully.  "No," Lord Katsuhito finally answered. "That was just a story about one of the local cops.  She caught a jewel thief I do believe."

"Oh… I see," the pink-eyed girl sighed, her hope fading from her eyes.  "Well," she dejectedly continued, "I guess that was kind of silly of me to think Ryoko was here.  Do you think she'll ever come back?  I mean do you think she can forgive us?  We were pretty hard on her and all…."

"Perhaps," the elder Jurain moaned, rising painfully to his feet.  Staggering over, due to the fact his left leg had fallen asleep, the kind old man placed a hand on Sasami's shoulder.  "It's hard to say with Ryoko.  But anyway, why don't we enjoy the meal you brought me, and you can tell me all about what you've been up to lately, after all it isn't often I get to spend time with my youngest sister…."

 **Next Time: **Sylvia's on her way to a new life.  She's got it all going on for her now.  However now she faces a new challenge, as she is called in on a hostage situation.  Can the reckless woman handle this delicate situation, plus Sylvia gets a new look!

1: By my last count it is 130 yen to a dollar. Ryoko had a total of $500 to start off her new life on.  Her room cost her 200 a month originally, but after hearing her celebrity status, it was reduced to a mere 100 bucks a month.  Not bad at all!

2: Lupin the third, the greatest thief on Earth, looks like Ryoko caught him.  He might do some time, if the Detective from Interpol doesn't mess it all up….


	4. A New Angle

**Life Changes:**

**Chapter 4: A New Angle**

As the afternoon sun stood high in the sky beaming its radiant warmth upon the peaceful planet below, a young looking woman relaxed happily by a nearly crystal clear lake.  Smiling she adjusted her green sunglasses and checked her small red bikini.  _Good,_ she thought happily,_ it does leave very little to the imagination.  I wonder how Tenchi will like it?  _

"Here you are, Ryoko," a voice called out, as a glass of ice tea appeared by her face.  "An ice tea, just like you asked."

Giggling the golden-eyed woman accepted the offering with a slight head nod.  "Well thank you Mr. Masaki, why don't you sit down for a minute, and join me.  After all you don't have to hurry back to listening to everything that little princess says, do you?"  Sipping the chilled liquid, Ryoko made a slight pleased noise.   "Don't worry, I promise not to bite, unless you ask me to that is…."

Sighing, the young man shook his head, and plopped down next to the sunbathing woman.  "You know I don't always do exactly what Ayeka tells me.  I mean I'm not a slave you know."

"Slave is a good word for it, the way that little bitch acts, I'd swear she's more of a sadist than I am.  Well anyway if you are a slave, you're not a happy one," she said giddily, "not like if you were **my** slave.  I'd have you doing things that would be a lot more fun."  Feeling his blood rush to his head, Tenchi looked away sheepishly.   With a smirk of victory, Ryoko audibly showed how pleasurable this conversation was for her. Yet when she spoke, her voice suddenly seemed to lose its vitality and take a more serious and hurt tone.   "I think it would be fun to use the term slave in a nice way like that.  Not like when I had to… had… had to…."  
  


Just when the scantily clad woman felt her last nerve about to snap, a kind hand rested on her kneecap, massaging it gently.  "It's okay, Ryoko," Tenchi whispered, leaning forward to help him kneel beside her.  "I promise it's okay."

"Oh, Tenchi…" she whimpered, wrapping arms around him, and beginning to cry as she buried her face in his chest.  "It was so terrible.  He made me do so many things, to so many people.  Why once he even tried to…."

Shushing her, the brown-haired youth placed his hand on her head, holding her tightly so she could no longer speak.  "You don't have to explain, Ryoko, not to me.  I'll love you no matter what you did, who you were, or any thing else in your past.  Kagato is dead, he can't hurt you anymore."

Sniffing like a little girl, the golden-eyed woman pried her head away from her beloved's chest.   "You love me?  Did you just say that Tenchi?"

Laughing weakly at his slip up, the Jurain prince nodded.  "Yes," he said, putting one finger under her chin, to tilt her face squarely at himself.  "Yes, Ryoko I love you…"

Feeling tears of joy welling in her eyes, the lithe woman shut them in preparation for the rush to her senses that were about to explode through her body.  Each moment she felt him getting closer and closer.  It would only be a few microseconds now and she would have her life's most important victory, she would have a kiss from Tenchi.  Any moment now….

**Sylvia's Apartment:**

**Okayama:**

With a heart-felt groan, the golden-eyed woman awoke, lying on the old couch that decorated her small apartment.  A slight click echoed in her ears as she glared at the floor, seeing an empty bottle of potent Saki roll away from her.  _Damn… I'm alive again.  Why can't I just stay passed out after drinking…?  Of course, my saki caused dreams are even tainted with my past… _groaning the lithe woman sat up, rubbing her head tenderly.  _I have Washu to blame for that.  She made me too damn good, I guess. _ _Well, I guess it's time to get up.  I will have work today…._ Laughing, Sylvia stood on shaky legs.  _Whoa…_ she thought as she held her throbbing head between her hands.  _Been a while since I felt this bad. I bet it's because I have to go to work.  Damn!  Why couldn't I have won the lottery, at least once!  I always bought a ton of tickets with Noboyuki's money!_  Cursing her ill-fated luck, the new officer opened her refrigerator and selected a red bottle of Saki. _ Ah breakfast.  A great way to start any day… _ Looking at the green bottle in the open icebox, she frowned.  "With any luck, I won't be back for dinner…."

**The Bath:**

Walking with all the grace and charm of a half dead zombie, Sylvia staggered down the long clean hallway towards the bath area.  As she entered into the women's area her keen hearing detected a charming lullaby coming from further inside the bath.  _Ah! Damn it._ She groaned, feeling her hangover biting her mind deeply.  _What the hell is she doing up so early?  This is just great.  Start my day off taking a bath with the landlord.  Oh joy… _Pausing a moment as she put her clothes in one of the various wicker baskets, Sylvia cracked a smile. _ I bet there isn't a man in this place that wouldn't give anything to be walking into that bath right now.  _

Entering into the steamy confines of the apartment complexes hot spring, the golden-eyed woman breathed in the scented oils and perfumes that Karka had brought in with her, and the soothing song that she sung.  _Well the girl has a voice, that's for sure. _ The silvery-haired woman thought walking nude into the waters.  

"Oh! Hello, Sylvia," a perky voice called out from the opposite side of the bath, followed by a slurring sound as Karka swam towards the newcomer.  "How is our resident hero today?  Did you get a good night's sleep?"  In a display of feminine charm and unbelievable wit, Sylvia grunted, holding her head as she continued to descend into the water.  Yet just as she was nearly down, her legs suddenly gave out, and the lithe woman felt herself falling squarely onto her bathing landlord.   "Wow," Karka chimed, "you need to be more careful.  Why what if someone was watching, huh?  They'd really think you were falling for me."  Laughing giddily at her own joke, the bouncy woman helped the ex-Masaki resident to her feet.  

"Yeah… thanks…" the silver-haired woman answered.  "Sorry."  Without another word, the rookie officer sat down hard on one of the ledges, leaning her head back with a painful sigh.  _What the hell was that?  I felt so weak,_ she noted angrily. _ It was like I had absolutely no strength whatsoever.  I've never felt like that before, except when I look into Tenchi's eyes, but even then I never actually fell. _ Looking at her wrists, the lithe ex-space pirate finally noticed something. _Oh damn it; I forgot to create a gem after I got rid of my other one.  I probably should do that pretty soon. I'll need that to keep going. _  Pausing she blinked painfully._  Keep going?  Why?  Why should I really bother?  I'm sick of everything anyway.  Without my gems, I'll more than likely die.  I could keep going for a little while with the ones I make, but they'll never help me recharge like the real ones.  _Groaningthe woman formerly called Ryoko sank into the water slowly.  _No, I'll need to make one… just not now.  Maybe later…._

"You look really down," the blonde girl said with an unhappy face, her lower lip jutting out further than her upper.  Suddenly her expression changed, as her usual energy and spunk returned in a flood of inspiration.  "I know what you need!"  

"What?  I-" yet the woman once called Ryoko never finished her statement as the younger girl leapt upon her instantly, grabbing her hair with one hand and a brush in the other.  

"You need a make over!" the bubbly girl exclaimed cheerfully, grabbing a strange bottle of shampoo in one hand as she leapt onto Officer Hakubi. "No woman could ever be happy with a hairdo like this, here let me just…"

"Ouch, you idiot! That's my head you're pulling on, not a doll!" 

"This wouldn't hurt so much if… you'd… just hold… still!" She declared, as she harshly rubbed the pink foamy concoction into her friend's hair.  "Besides I… oh…no," Karka gasped, quickly dragging Silvia under a running fountain to wash her hair.  "Phew, no harm done," she said in a whisper, which sadly the former space pirate was able to detect.

"Who asked you anyway?  Leave my hair alone!" Silvia snapped rubbing her head to make sure there were no bald areas, "and what did you just do?

Laughing defensively, Karka, kindly lead her back to the water, "Just relax, you'll be so pretty, when I'm done.  All the boys will like it.  Besides I was just kidding with the oops."  Hearing Karka's words, Sylvia stopped struggling for a moment as she recalled a time in her life when she would have done anything to catch a certain boy's attention.   How she would have endured all the flames of hell, or the worst tortures in life, as she felt she already had, just to be able to caress his young face and have him smile back at her.  Closing her eyes, the golden-eyed woman felt on the verge of sleep, as she once again shifted her mind's eye to seeing herself sitting on the shore by the lake, waiting for an ice tea to come along….  Just when the scene became clear, a resounding cheer awaked Sylvia from the busy Karka. "Ta-da!  I'm done, what do you think?"

With the patience of a parent trying to please an over energetic child, the golden-eyed woman peered into the warm water at her reflection, and swallowed hard.  "Not bad," she grunted, looking at the woman with the perfectly drawn back hair that ran into a tight French braid.  "I'm impressed, my hair isn't really known for being easy to handle."

"Yeah, it is kinda spiky.  Do you use a lot of hair gel or something?"  Karka asked, admiring her work in the water with Sylvia.  "If you want, I've got a lot of new makeup, and I could make you look so pretty.  Why you'd-"

Holding up one hand in warning, the silver-haired woman shook her head in reply.  'Thanks but no thanks.  I don't do make up.  It's not my style.  Thanks for the hairstyle.  But right now I need to get ready."

As Sylvia turned, she heard Karka gasp.  Figuring it to be another joke, she ignored the strange woman and lifted herself from the warm water, eager to face the day as a new woman. 

**Downtown:**

The mid-afternoon setting in the Okayama Police Department was a typical one, filled with busy police officers, the sound of phones ringing, but above all the poetic like rhythm of the day, a woman's heavenly voice could be heard distinctly and gave them all reason to pause and reflect on the implications and angelic flow of her verse.   

"Yeah well, screw you buddy!" Sylvia screamed into her phone.  "I caught the guy.  **You** lost him.  Don't go blaming me for your own incompetence!"  With a mighty motion, the lithe woman slammed the phone on her desk, and plopped down to her seat loudly as a distinct silence resonated in the quiet offices.  Crossing her arms defensively over her ample chest, Officer Hakubi glared at each person in the office, who had been looking her way.  "What are you all staring at?"  She roared, as the entire department bolted back to work, each one eager to avoid the golden-eyed woman's chilling gaze.  

"You're in a bad mood today," a female officer laughed as she set down a spare cup of coffee.  "Care to tell me why?"

Looking up agitatedly Sylvia regarded her coworker with disdain.  Despite the fact she did not care for female companionship, the lithe woman had to admit the young officer before her was a rather attractive woman, with a silky white skin, blue eyes, and short brown hair.  "It's nothing really, Yuri." The pouting woman screamed. "Just another call from Interpol.  That damn inspector keeps blaming me for his mistakes.  I told him-"

"Yes," the brown-haired girl laughed, "I know.  We all heard you.  So what's really eating you up, you've never got this mad from a call before."

Glaring at the inquisitive youth, Sylvia shook her head.  "It's nothing you wanna know about, Yuri.  Trust me."

"Ah, I gotcha," Yuri, so named because the only friends she ever had were women, said snapping her fingers and making it into a gun to 'shoot' the unhappy woman.  "Hey, you wanna go to the bar tonight, after work?  I could set you up with this guy I know, and…."

Just as the conversation reached an all time low, the phone on Sylvia's phone rang, and the golden-eyed woman cast an icy glare at the offending device. _ Now what the hell does someone want?_

**Later:**

**The Chief's Office:**

"Hakubi…" the overweight police chief sighed as he sat unhappily in his chair eyeing her with an impatient eye.  "What happened out there?"  

Soaking wet, Sylvia took off her sunglasses slowly, a weak smile on her face as she nervously played with her eyewear. "What do you mean, we caught that guy didn't we?  I mean he was going to blow up the bank and all."

"I know that, officer," the older man said rising from his desk.  "But can you tell me why you pulled that stunt?"

"Well you see, chief, I-"

"Taking off your clothes and dousing yourself in water is not proper procedure!"  The angry captain shouted.

"Technically sir I was still wearing my undershirt…." She added holding up one finger in her defense.  "If I didn't act sir, that young man might have done something we'd all regret.  But trust me I have experience with hormonally unbalanced youths.  I know how to work them sir, I-"

"I don't care," Tobin announced.  "All I know is one of my officers is behaving like some street corner…" at that the plump man stopped his rant catching a look from Ryoko that showed such terms would warrant more than a weak reply.  Although he might not seem to possess many super abilities, the one he did possess was the ability to know when he had reached his limits.  Sighing loudly, the balding officer sat down at his desk again, shuffling through his papers slowly.   Finally he pulled out one in particular.  "You're being reassigned," he coughed into his hand, looking up at her casually.  "Or should I say rescheduled.  I need you to pull an all-nighter.  To watch things around here, plus I have some items to take care of in the morning.  Do you think you'll be able to work tonight?  I know this is last minute and all." 

"Yeah," the silver-haired woman said, feeling there was more to this conversation than she knew.  "I can do that."

"Good, then do something about your hair before you get back," he muttered handing her a mirror.  "I don't know if you noticed it or not, but it looks like you go caught in a lump of melted crayon or something, swirls all over you.  I don't like punks, and I don't want my officers to look like them.  I don't care what you do, just fix it."

 Seeing that her new brain now bore pink and purple stripes, where Karka's hands had grabbed her spiny hair, Sylvia slumped her shoulders.  _So that's what Karka was going on about!  That damn idiot put dye in my hair!  Pink and purple dye at that! Now I look like a freak!  Damn it!  Something tells me this stuff will take months to come out.  _ "All right," she pouted putting her glasses back on slowly. "Is that all, boss?"

Picking up his pen, the captain of the Okayawa police seemed to ponder the question for a long time, as if it bore some deeper meaning to him before he answered.  "No, that will be all Hakubi.  Remember, no more of these wild stunts.  I mean it!"  As she turned to leave, the old officer's tone changed, "are you all right Ryoko?"

Stopping, the silver-haired woman turned slowly, her glasses now concealing her eyes as she looked squarely at him.  "Ryoko is dead.  I killed her a long time ago.  You and I both know that.  So you could say she's finally okay.  But as for me, Sylvia, I couldn't be better.  So let's never mention that name again."    For long moments a thick tension hung in the air, before she spoke again, "if you'll excuse me…." Giving him a salute, the weary woman left her last remaining friend from her past's office and headed home to prepare for the long night ahead of her. 

**The Masaki House:**

Sighing loudly, Tenchi took in the midday sun with a dreary look as he walked back towards his house from his latest training, or rather beating, session.  A sudden springing in the bushes caused his heart to skip a beat, as he spun expecting to see Ryoko ready to pounce on him like a fox on its prey.  Yet as he turned all the young man could see was a rabbit that had dashed across the path behind him, and now ran across the wooded area looking for a place to hide again.   He sighed once more, closing his eyes for a moment as he imagined how Ryoko would have normally handled him.  "Let's see, since I'm on the path, she'd probably soar up and throw her arms around my neck," the brown-haired youth began reaching up to hold where he guessed her arm would have rested.  "Then she'd say something like," swallowing; Tenchi did his best Ryoko impression however it was a poor job at that. 

 "Oh, Tenchi, let's go off somewhere and play."

"No, Ryoko, I can't do that," he countered, continuing a conversation with himself.  

"But Tenchi," the dreaming youth continued in a poor Ryoko-ese.  "I've got some new games I think you'd really like…." He giggled at that moment, a sound that no man should ever make.  Then he puckered out his lips, pretending that Ryoko was trying to kiss him.  

"Why Tenchi, I didn't realize how much like you dad you are," Washu said suddenly breaking him from his trance.  Opening his eyes, the young Jurain saw the red-haired genius standing before him with a devilish grin on her face.  "I mean you do have a perverted and a nutty side."

"No," he offered shaking his hands before him. "It's not like that, I-"

Sighing, Washu squatted down before him, no longer listening.   "It's been hard, hasn't it?  No Ryoko I mean.  Nothing seems fun anymore.  I pick on Ayeka in the lab, using all sorts of reasons to put her in embarrassing positions, and I even make a lewd comment of two to her, but nothing really seems to get under that girl's skin like Ryoko could.  She really had a gift, didn't she?"

"If you call that a gift…." Tenchi muttered, realizing he had spoken aloud.  

"Well, she did have other gifts," the green-eyed woman said looking up.  "Ones I'm sure you, and any other guy alive, has seen.  One thing I didn't make her to be was shy.  At least it wasn't my intention for her to be."

Feeling awkward at the conversations content and pace, the young prince cleared his throat.  "So what are you doing out here, Washu?  I mean what's up?  Is something wrong?"

"No," the smaller figure said rising up to her full height, still dissecting a weed she had plucked from the ground with her fingers.   "I just… well…" Washu stopped looking at Tenchi with a painful look that told him she was hiding some deep pain. "I miss Ryoko is all.  Without her to worry about I'm feeling pretty lonely.  That's why I came to see you.  I thought that if I talked to you, then maybe for a minute I'd have my little girl back… but I see you miss her even more than I do.  Oh yeah, Ayeka wants me to tell you that she's set aside the whole night to tell you about Jurain history."

"Oh good," Tenchi responded with a forced joy.  Ever since Ryoko had left their house, Ayeka had become his shadow even worse than before.  Now she spent every night regaling him with tales of Jurai.  It had been interesting at first, but now it was wearing thin on his nerves.  There were times, which became more and more frequent as time went on, when he wished the golden-eyed woman would return for just ten seconds to say what he couldn't and silence the polite woman's tales.  As it stood now, however, Tenchi had just learned the current hierarchies status and titles, and where they were seated at banquets.  Ayeka purposely avoided telling him tales about sports, swordsmanship, Jurain trees, wars, or battle capabilities, as they were boring, crude tales that a lady should never tell.  So during the day Tenchi Masaki spent a good deal of his time being shadowed by the proper woman, and every night, until he nearly collapsed from exhaustion, he heard about modern Jurai. _ Just once I'd like to hear someone ramble on half drunk about some commercial,_ he whined to himself, thinking how Ryoko had the amazing ability to turn a twenty second story into an hour long tale that always involved sex, alcohol and about thirty reasons why he should sleep with her.

 "You sound like you enjoy yourself," Washu laughed as they started back to the house. "As much as I like having Mihoshi in my lab."

"It's not that I don't like Ayeka," the brown-haired man proclaimed. "It's just that…"

"You're too much the same," Ryoko's mom interjected.  "Remember Tenchi, opposites attract, not sames. At least not until I get my newest invention online…." She said, trailing off as she fantasized about her newest device.  

Placing his hands over his eyes, Tenchi rubbed them firmly.  "I know… I know…."

"Well, I have to be going," Washu giggled, her voice sounding deeper.  Opening his eyes, Tenchi saw the diminutive genius in her now adult form, leaning towards him.  "Just keep this in mind," she said advancing on him slowly her chest arched forward. "Ryoko is half me.  If you want twice the woman, just look me up.  You know where I live." Smiling hungrily, the green-eyed woman caught up to the retreating youth and squished her chest against his.  "After all, Ryoko is just a touched up copy of me.  If you thought hers were nice…."

"Washu!" the embarrassed youth screamed, suddenly feeling the pressure upon him vanish.  

"Nope," the now Chibi woman groaned as she stalked away.  "Even that wasn't any fun without her here…."  

Wiping the sweat from his brown, Tenchi swallowed painfully.  _Ryoko…_ he thought sadly.   _Where did you go?  _

**That Night:**

The warm sun had set on the quiet town of Okayawa, giving way to a cool evening.  All about the peaceful area residences fell into a happy slumber, weary from their long day.  However, there was at least one woman who could not afford the luxury of slumber, as she had to work.  One who had spent the remainder of her day trying to get strange dye from her hair with no success.  Having failed at her task, the lithe woman did what any normal thinking individual would do, and died all her hair a light pink, with purple tiger stripes on the ponytail.  Although the chief disapproved at first, even he had to admit that it was an improvement over her previous state.

Now, in the back rooms of the Okayawa police department, Sylvia Hakubi, formerly the space pirate Ryoko, sat with her legs propped up on a chair parallel to her position.  Upon her face were her trusty dark sunglasses that covered her tired blood shot eyes.  It had been days since she had actually slept, indeed perhaps even months, as the last time she could recall sleeping was when she resided at the Masaki residence.  Closing her eyes, the golden-eyed woman longed to fall into a blissful sleep, one without nightmares or dreams, where she could at last find peace.

Yet tonight, as it had been in the long time since she left her old home, would not be her time to sleep.  _Tonight's the night,_ a large man chuckled to himself, as he watched the woman once called Ryoko attempt to sleep.  Despite his size, the ugly human nimbly reached through the bars and began to work the lock quietly.  _Yeah, only one measly dame between me and freedom.  I gots it made.  _

Grabbing the door the large prisoner smiled broadly as he carefully opened his cell, causing a faint squeak to break the ominous silence.  Yet the quiet noise also had another effect, namely waking the sleeping beauty at the far end of the room.  Yawning obnoxiously the golden-eyed officer peered into the darkness her keen senses instantly determined what had awakened her.  "Hey," the agitated officer snapped, "what the hell do you think you're doing?  Get back in your cell, NOW!"  Standing up the lithe woman teleported to stand before the towering man, who only glared down at her with a twisted grin.  

Tarant merely grinned showing his poor dental work, "and just what do you think you can do to make me, little missy?"  To accent his point, the large figure pretended to step forward in an attempt to intimidate the woman blocking his escape.  

Yet this violent criminal did not know that there are only two things that could possibly frighten the colorful haired woman in his way.  One was when Tenchi was angry, as it was usually because of her, and the other was the past she had been working so hard as of late to hide from.  "Oh, you're one of those kind of thugs…" she smirked winningly.  "My favorite kind too, big **and** dumb."

Taking a moment, Tarant rubbed his chin approvingly, not really understanding the depth of the insult heaped upon him.  "Well, baby," he laughed undressing her with his eyes.  "Aren't you a tough little girl?"

"I'm a lot tougher than you'll ever known," the lithe woman replied with pride, sticking out her chest happily.  

"Look honey," he said a scowl coming over him as he realized he could not seduce his way past this woman and crossed his arms over his chest.  "Seeing as you're new here, I'll let you in on who I am.  You see, honey doll, I'm-"

  
"One Punch Tarant," Sylvia yawned, "wanted for six counts of armed robbery, four counts of theft, nine counts of grand theft auto, and of course exposing yourself in a public place."  Looking over her shoulder the lithe woman grinned as she acknowledged the other prisoners.  "Apparently big boy here can't hold his saki and used a plant as a bathroom."  Turning her eyes down at his crotch, she grinned deeply, "I doubt it was much of a show…."  

As she stopped talking snickers of laughter came from all the various jail cells.  As each convict added his own laughing to the chorus, the sound soon grew into a roaring chuckling.  "Shut up!" Tarant growled, instantly ending the mocking noise.  As he scared his fellow prisoners, the large man clenched his tightly.  "I guess…" he groaned as he suddenly swung his fist full force into Sylvia's face, sending her slamming into the bars behind her, "you might as well add assaulting an officer to the list."  Glaring at the stunned woman, he couldn't help but sneer as he advanced on her, considering the battle over and a fun night to be ahead of him.  "Sorry to do that to your pretty face, but no one talks down to Ol' One Punch."

Moaning the lithe woman turned her attention towards him. From her position on the floor she appeared to be unconscious, or at the best badly hurt, so it shocked many when one of her slender arms rose up and wiped the small trickle of blood from her mouth.  _Why do they dumb ones always want to fight?  Is it me?  Do I draw them to me?  Damn it, this idiot actually drew blood.  I must be getting rusty._  As she rose back to her feet, a hush fell over the prison once again.  "Alright! That's no way to treat a lady!"  She roared before grabbing the shocked criminal by the throat in one swift motion and slowly raised him high over her head, so much so that his feet did not touch the ground any longer.  "Let's see how much you like getting hit, Tarant!  Now be good boy and… and…." With that, Sylvia stopped, her free hand continuing to draw back into a fist.  It seemed even though her voice had stopped, her body was prepared to continue the motions in had been going through.  Suddenly, her eyes changed, a red glow filling them as a primal expression covered her face.  She looked at him with the same interest a hawk would it's prey.  On his end of her arm, Tarant used all his great strength in a vain effort to free himself of her vice like grip.  

At that instant, the scene shifted, and the prison melted away.  All around the silver-haired woman, who had lost her police regalia and fancy hairstyle, people screamed.  They chanted a name, her name, Ryoko, over and over as if calling out to some deaf god.  Yet it did them no good.  Smiling with intense pleasure, the silver-haired demoness breathed deep, enjoying the wholesale slaughter her master had forced her to undergo.  Perhaps later there would be guilt for her actions here today, but at this moment she felt no remorse only joy, mindless joy.  Turning from the frightened masses, she looked at the black-haired man with the royal teardrop colored eyes that she clutched in her hand.  With ease she knew she could snap his neck instantly, but for some reason the idea did not sit well with her, so she merely watched.  _Prince Yosho…_ she laughed to herself, I'm going to enjoy this.  _With you gone, Kagato won't be able to get Tsunami's power.  It'll be my ultimate revenge.  _ The thought of revenge filled her with excitement.  "Die…" she hissed out, about to choke the final breaths from his body, when the Jurain prince said something.  

"No, don't," he said tensely through clogged airways. "You can't… please… listen…." Something about his words touched her, and Ryoko, the most feared space pirate alive, released the young prince. 

Suddenly the scene shifted back, and Ryoko had once again become Sylvia.  Resting at her feet, whimpering weakly, was Tarant, his breathes coming in panicked gasps. _ Kame… _she shuddered. _ What did I almost do?  I… nearly killed him!  _Clearing her throat, the golden-eyed woman realized everyone in the prison stared at her with a pale face.  "Alright," she snapped, still shaken by her dark memories return, but still trying to sound tough, a skill she had almost mastered over the past years. _ Dealing with them is another matter…._ "Back in the cage, now!" with that the colorful-haired woman picked up Tarant by one arm and escorted him back in his cell.  "Not another word out of anyone, got it?" She yelled heading back to her seat to the calls of each cell dweller that swore complete obedience to this new rule.  Sitting down hard in her chair, the lithe woman picked up her sunglasses and placed them over her eyes as she sat down watching everyone skeptically.  "Anyone else thinks of escaping, I won't be so nice…."

**The Next Morning:**

"Officer Hakubi!" the chief called out from his officer as she tried to slip by him.  "Could you come in her a moment." With the snickering and false coughs of the others in her department goading her on, Sylvia groaned and turned, her shoulder's slumped in defeat, towards her commander's office.  

Opening the door, she quietly slipped in; tipping up the sunglasses she had worn the whole night revealing some rather large bags under her bloodshot eyes.  "What's up?" the golden-eyed woman asked, trying to sound awake and alert, despite being nearly on the verge of collapsing.  

"My god, Sylvia," the stout chief exclaimed as he and a man the brightly colored haired woman had never seen took in her thin stretched appearance.  "Are you alright, you look like hell?" Saying nothing, she simply allowed her glasses to fall back over her eyes as her smile melted away. 

"It's nothing a good drink and a nice bath won't cure, I'm sure.  Now, was there something I can do for you boss?"

"Yes…" Tobin replied with concern seeing his officer in such exhausted condition.  "Officer Sylvia Hakubi, I'd like you to meet a new transfer to our department.  His name is…" stopping the balding man held the paper to the youth beside him.  "Is that right?"

"Steven Miller," the friendly man said with a smile, "most people just call me Steve."  To show it was supposed to be funny, the young man laughed, yet the chief merely stared not really following the pun, and Sylvia was too tired to care.   Clearing his throat, Steven extended one hand towards the weary woman in friendship, "it's a pleasure to meet you, I've heard a lot about you from the chief.  I hear you're quiet a bit to handle," changing his tone, the brown-haired youth grinning winningly at her, "and that you're still single…."

"Right…" she said completely not interested in anything this young man had to say, or want. _ I hope to Tsunami that he's not trying to hook me up with this kid.   I do **not **need a relationship right now, or ever.  _Pulling back his hand, the young man laughed weakly as he rubbed the back of his head under the golden-eyed woman's dissecting eyes.  _He sure is weird looking though, short brown hair, blue eyes, a little tan.  What a weird guy…._ "So what did you want from me, boss?" 

Shrugging his shoulders, the chief of police shook his head as if he didn't understand.  "I just thought you'd want to meet your new partner, Hakubi. That's all." Looking at Steven, he changed his tone the authority coming back suddenly. "Officer Miller, will you please escort Office Hakubi home?"

Slamming her palms on his desk, the wild-haired woman glowed as she spoke. "I do **not** want, or **need** a partner.  You know I've always worked alone, and I especially don't need some stupid kid walking me home."

"You're also rather new to the force, Hakubi," the bald man declared.  "You've made yourself the center of a lot of media attention, most of it being good, but…." Pausing he twirled casually in his chair as he weighed his next words.  "But as your chief, it's my duty to makes sure my officers are taken care of.  In lieu of your current… condition… I think it would be a good idea for you to be escorted home.  It is simply in the departments best interest, I am, or course, not finding any fault in your abilities."

"Fine…" she hissed, "I'll let your new puppy walk me home.  Is that all?" Nodding the stout man said nothing, merely motioning to the doorway.  As soon as they had left, he sighed painfully and long, all the while rubbing his temples.

_Well let's hope this works.  Ryoko always seemed a good kid; sure she's headstrong and impetuous, and as subtle as a bullet train but her hearts good.  Of course with her still dwelling on Tenchi, she's not much good to us.  Maybe this Steven Miller guy will help lead her out of funk. _  Laughing softly to himself, the chief shook his head while looking over Miller's file.  _What am I thinking?  Officer Miller is an expert at diffusing bombs, controlling riots, and negotiations.  Not to mention he graduated at the top of his class…_ Leaning back Tobin rubbed his face gently._  Poor kid… doesn't stand a chance…._

**Sylvia's Apartment:**

With the elegance and grace one would use to welcome royalty the golden-eyed woman flung open her door with a powerful thrust.  "Welcome to my humble corner of hell," she called, flicking on the light with those words.  One look from the young man was all she needed to know what he thought of her living.  "I know it's a little messy," she called practically wading through the empty saki bottles to her worn out couch at the far end of the room.  "But I don't have many visitors."

"Well," the green-eyed youth said with a stunned look.  "I'll admit it doesn't really look like the room of a town hero, that's for sure."

"What did you expect? Pink frills and lace?  You think all us girls sit in our rooms wearing lingerie waiting for a man?"  Landing on the old sofa with all her weight, Sylvia laughed weakly.  "Don't just stand there, If you're gonna be here, then get me my dinner out of the fridge."

"Uh, right…"Steve muttered walking through the red and green bottles, knocking a few bottles over every other step.  "You like to drink I see, well I'm partial to an after drink sip or two myself," he laughed as he opened the door.  Seeing the contents he was dumbstruck.  _It's all saki!_

"What's taking so long?" the exhausted woman called. "I can't sleep without dinner." Leaning her head up, she snapped as he removed a bottle. "No, what are you an idiot?"  Hearing her Steven's smile returned to his face, until she spoke again. "Dinner is the green one.  Gees…" As soon as the lithe woman had received her bottle, she downed its contents showing her amazing ability to consume anything at an unbelievable speed.  "Thanks…" the golden-eyed officer smiled, looking rather out of commission.  "You c'n go now.  T'rn off the li- li- lights as you get…." With that the former space pirate collapsed into unconsciousness, dropping her bottle with a thud.  

  
Looking around, Steven Miller could only sigh.  _When I heard about some great cop in Okayawa, I thought it'd be great to work with her, to see how a legend lives.  I… I never thought I'd find this.  It's too bad… I guess… I guess there's only one thing to do.  She is my partner after all, and this is my job…._

**Next Time:** Well things are getting interesting aren't they?  Be here next time to see what Steven does, and what about Tenchi and the others?  


	5. The Present Past

Life Changes: Chapter 05: The Present Past 

**Sylvia's Apartment:**

In the apartment of a certain pink and purple haired officer, a strange aroma filled the air, causing the sleeping woman to rouse from her tormented state of unconsciousness.  With a groan, she prepared to open her eyes wondering what could be making such a strange smell.  Unlike other days her room did not reek of empty sake bottles, but of disinfectant.  _It reminds me,_ she realized with a mental gasp, _of home.  I mean, of Tenchi's house.  This is my home now.  The city and my job are my life now.  No matter how much it sucks. It's what I deserve after… wait… _once again she gasped this time with a feeling of both hope and dread.   Hoping it was truly a dream-come true.  However, at the same time fear clutched her heart, as it would mean she'd only have to repeat the past.  _Maybe I dreamed all this; maybe I didn't leave Tenchi.  I bet if I open my eyes right now he'll be there, waiting for me.  Smiling at me as I wake up, just like I always dreamed he would be.  Well, what am I waiting for?_  She almost grinned, and would have had her fear not clutched her heart, as she opened her eyes and saw the man standing over her. 

**Meanwhile: The Masaki House Kitchen:**

In the quiet lakeside home Sasami Jurai chopped carrots slowly into small pieces, her mind wondering about all the things that had happened since her best friend, next to Ryo-Ohki, had left.  Life at the Masaki house had proceeded mostly as normal, but without any excitement.  "It's just like I always thought Ayeka's perfect life would be like uneventful."  

At her side, the small cabbit, who still did not understand why carrots had to be sliced when they were perfect fresh out of the ground, meowed her confusion.  Giggling playfully, the blue-haired girl waved off Ryo-Ohki's concern.  "No, I don't hate Ayeka. I love my sister, silly.  It's just she's so… so… boring… at least when Ryoko was here things happened, fun things.  I had to always be on my toes or I might get tricked into doing something I shouldn't."  Once again, the golden-eyed creature meowed this time with sympathy.  "I bet you really miss Ryoko, huh Ryo-Ohki?"

"Mya! Mya…" Ryo-Chan answered, her long ears drooping down at the thought of her lost mistress.  She hadn't felt this lonely since those 700 years when her and Ryoko had been imprisoned on earth.  Yet at least then she had known where her master was.  Now, she had no clue.  

"Well, maybe if we ask really nice, after dinner Tenchi will let us to go look for her.  Maybe she's nearby." Sasami suggested excitedly, turning to sip some of her soup, and subconsciously adding a few spices before stirring it more.  "Or…" she whispered leaning close with a mischievous look in her pink eyes, "we could tell him we need to go shopping, and then go look for her while he get us some supplies." The little cabbit merely meowed, turning her head sideways to stare at her friend unable to comprehend the sneakiness that the youngest Jurai princess was concocting in her sometime troublesome mind.  "I know, I know," the child with the long ponytails said shushing her companion, "but we won't get caught, besides it's been a long time since we had an adventure or anything to do.  It might be fun."

"What might be fun, Sasami," a noble voice called out behind her.  "What are you two up to?"

Spinning around swiftly, Sasami found herself standing face to face with her sister, the first princess of Jurai, Ayeka. "Nothing, sister," she whined in a lie. "I just was telling Ryo-Ohki it would be nice to go to town with Tenchi. It would be like old times."

The purple haired woman merely stared at her sister with skeptism.  Since her rival's removal her sister had grown more unruly, which was the opposite of Ayeka's vision of the perfect reality.  Also to her dismay it felt as if Tenchi and her had grown further apart as if the young man was drifting away instead of closer.  She had to imagine it was not just her that the young man was folding in on himself, taking full blame of the disappearance of her uncivilized counterpart on himself.  

 "I do not relish the 'old times,' Sasami." She regally answered, coming forward to sample some of Sasami's soup, which was delicious as always.  "It those days, Ryoko terrorized Lord Tenchi at every moment, ruining his life on a continual basis.  Things are better now, in this wonderful new age, where she is gone."  Looking at the ceiling, the red-eyed woman looked ready to cry, from what Sasami knew was joy. "Still, an outing might be a good idea.  I shall tell Lord Tenchi of your wishes, when we meet to continue our discussion on Jurain codes of conduct and how they have influenced trade relations with other planets over the past three thousand years. "

Pitying the young man's future, the pink-eyed girl spun, disguising her smirk at Tenchi's doom as joy for her sister's permission.  "Hear that, Ryo-Ohki? Well get to spend a whole day with Tenchi shopping! Just the three of us."

                "Three of you," Ayeka echoed coming out of the daydream she had just began.  "I feel you are mistaken Sasami, I will be attending this trip with you."  With that the younger sister's smile faded from her eyes as she continued to force a grin. "After all it would not be proper for a Jurain princess to walk about unescorted in such a savage world, especially not when Ryoko is out there unchecked."

"Oh… great, Ayeka…" she answered.  "I can't wait."

"Neither can I," the purple-haired woman smiled appearing oblivious to the downtrodden voice of her sister.  "This will most certainly be a wonderful day."  Saying nothing more, the slender princess gracefully walked out of the small kitchen on her quest to find her beloved prince, Tenchi.  

Stepping out of the kitchen, the first princess swallowed hard as she looked toward the stairwell leading to all the rooms. _Poor Sasami, still so innocent and naïve...  I truly wish I could find so much joy in simply going shopping.  However, I must confess, if only to myself, that there is an ulterior motive to this trip.  _Squeezing her hands into balls, the red-eyed woman steadied herself against the door as she composed her thoughts. _ That damn demon woman, even when she is nowhere to be found she ruins my life.  She was not supposed to run away like that.   If she were serious about Lord Tenchi, and cared about his feelings one bit, she would have properly admitted defeat like a true lady, then nothing would stop Lord Tenchi and I from being happy.  This all has to be some plot of hers.  She always was one for making grand entrances.  I am certain that is what she is playing at.   _

_Yet… without her here I feel as if part of my soul is missing.  I need to find you, Ryoko.  Damn you, where are you when we need you?  This is so like you to be selfish!  Well, I will not stand for this any longer.  I will find you and bring you back home, so you can be exiled properly, but only after you say I am the better woman. _ Pausing as she reached the staircase, Ayeka realized something that made her shiver.  _Did I just say, this was Ryoko's home?_   

**Tenchi's Room:**

Still shaken after her revelation, Ayeka Jurai stood before the room to her most cherished one.  Holding up a dainty hand she hesitated before knocking.  _What is wrong with me?  Surely I am not afraid to speak to Lord Tenchi, not about something as simple as going into town.  After all, the chances that I would see Ryoko are nearly non-existent.  Still, Lord Tenchi is concerned about that monster.   He no longer mentions it, but every time he returns from the fields I can see it in his eyes.  He misses her… as we all do.  Am I so conceded that I would place my own happiness above the Lord Tenchi's?  No! This is not how a true princess of Jurai would act. I must-_

"Is something wrong, Ayeka?" Tenchi asked sliding open his door with confusion.  He had just opened the door to use the restroom when he saw the purple-haired princess standing in front of him, one hand held in a fist parallel to the door, while she looked to the floor in deep thought and confusion.  _Not that her or Ryoko acting weird is new, but this is strange even for her… _sighing he repeated the demoness' name.  _Ryoko…._ "Is it time to discuss the Jurain code of conduct? I didn't know it had become so late.  I was just about to-"

"No," she interrupted, before realizing her behavior was unbecoming.  Coming fully out of her stupor, Ayeka blushed.  "Forgive my rudeness, Lord Tenchi, but Sasami, Ryo-Ohki, and I were wondering if we might go to market for a time.  Her and Ryo-Ohki had planned to run off alone, but I recalled your rules about it since Ryoko's disappearance and felt I had best come to you for guidance."

Nodding, Tenchi winced at the words 'Ryoko's disappearance.'  Though not meant to be a bad tiding, it made the Jurain prince think that perhaps his first alien friend may have been kidnapped, as she had been a few times before.  Finally he managed to find words to speak.  "Sure Ayeka," he nervously laughed trying to shoo his angst.  "We can go to the market.  I just need a few minutes to get my things together, then we'll head out." 

                As the purple-haired woman left his room, the young man sat down on his bed sighing loudly.  It had been so long since he had yelled at Ryoko.  It wasn't as if such a thing was anything new, but still the way he had done it was not like him.  Yet Tenchi couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt that all of this could have been avoided if he had just listened to her while she was here.  _I guess I'll never know if that's true.  _Rising the brown-haired Jurain prince stretched his arms as if he had just awoke.  Swinging them wildly, he tried to rid himself of his mental weariness by physically means.  Nothing he did helped.  Finally, in defeat, he stopped at his desk to examine a ruined ship in a bottle; one that he was sure had started the entire incident.  _Why?  Why did I have to loose my temper? I know school was tough, and my extra training sessions with grandpa have put a lot of stress on me, but I shouldn't have snapped at her.  I **really** shouldn't have thrown her out either.  No matter what happens, Ryoko will always be the best friend I ever had. _  Pausing, he turned the large glass container in his fingertips swiftly, watching the ruined pieces tumbled about with a twinge of pain in his heart._  I… I guess I never thought about it.  All the girls are my family, and I love them all, but… but really Ryoko was my only friend.  The only one who knew me completely.  Even thought I've only known her a day longer than Ayeka and Sasami, it feels like we've known each other forever.  I guess it's like Washu told me once, Ryoko used to watch me as a kid, but then that only explains why she knows me, not why I feel so at ease around her.  _  Setting his ruined project down, he cleared his throat as his fingers felt a piece of paper nearby.  Picking it up, the brown-eyed youth read the words upon it as he had numerous times since he had originally written it._  I wonder if this would be enough?  I mean a letter of apology is pretty lame and old-fashioned I know, but still Ryoko always told me I was a bit too uptight, plus the guys at school call me lame, so I guess an old-fashioned apology letter is all I could do. If I do see her,_ Tenchi's heart then skipped a beat as hope entered his heart at the thought of seeing the beloved space pirate once again. _ Then if Ayeka and Sasami are with me I know I won't have a chance to talk to her, to really say what I'm thinking.  Besides I'd probably just lose my nerve anyway.  _Folding his hope into a small square, the brown-haired young man tucked it into his pocket, and taking one last cleansing breath, head out of his room to meet his friends.  As he did, Tenchi couldn't help but wonder if one small scrap of paper could heal the scar he had put on Ryoko's heart.

**Sylvia's Apartment:**

With her usual charm and grace, Sylvia glared at the man standing over her as her senses realized his image.  "What the hell are you doing here?"  Sitting up, the purple and pink haired woman felt the world spin as a painful headache hit her.   "I thought I told you to leave?"  Wincing as sunlight met eyes that were normally concealed behind sunglasses, the golden-eyed woman seemed to be growing more irritable by the moment.  

"Sorry, partner, I can't do that.  You were down, so I **had** to stay with you.  It's what good cops do." Steven said with a slight smile, trying to lighten the mood between him and the sobering space pirate.  

                "Well, I don't give a da-" stopping the weary cop held her head in one hand as she looked around, seeing that her apartment, which had previously been a mess of empty saki bottles, had not only been cleaned, but straightened.  "Did you clean this place?"

                Shrugging, the newcomer into her life seemed slightly embarrassed by her comment.  "I had nothing else to do.  You've been out for nearly twelve hours.  Did you sleep well?"

"I never sleep, too many nightmares," she groaned, standing on unsteady legs.  "It's just a long period of passing out."  Sniffing loudly, Sylvia wiped her nose in a rather unladylike manner.  "Being awake isn't much better, suffering is suffering."

"Have you thought about professional help?" Miller asked, his humorous grin fading.  "I mean a lot of cops-"

Holding up her hands she stopped his offer. "No… just… no.  Wait, what is that I smell?  I recognized the cleaner, but now I smell something. "  Taking a deep breath nasally, the golden eyed woman turned her blurred vision to the table, locating the new aroma making item.  "And it doesn't smell that bad."

                "Oh," the young man said, some joy returning to his voice, "that. Well, since you didn't have any food in your house, I took the liberty of ordering out.  I hope you don't mind," cracking open the large cardboard box, he pulled out a slice of some cheese covered bread with various toppings.  Through a mouthful of the odd concoction, he managed to utter a phrase while pulling out an additional piece. "You want some?"

                Looking at him with disgust, the lithe woman plopped back down on the couch.  "No thanks, I don't eat."  Folding her arms over her ample chest, she looked away in a sulking manner.  Suddenly, a slice of food appeared held point first toward her mouth.

                "Are you afraid to get dirty?  Come on partner, I'll even hold the pizza for you."

Scowling, the slender woman took the offered item, "I am not a baby!"  Yet now that she held it, she felt a sickness in her stomach.  In all her life, in all the universes she had been to, she had never seen a food so… so… gross.  However, the young man's stare proved to be too much for her and soon she closed her eyes and slowly opened her mouth.  With creeping speed, she moved the new food to her mouth, bringing her teeth down like a creaking gate to sever off a morsel.  Chewing for a moment, her eyes suddenly shot open.  "Hey, this doesn't suck!" She lied realizing she couldn't actually taste it, but feeling the way the item felt inside her mouth.  To prove her point Sylvia swallowed the remainder of the slice in one bite.  "What is this stuff?"

                "Pizza," Steven replied. "I see a pizzeria had opened just a few blocks away.  I thought I'd try it out, seems to be worth the trip.  If you want, I could show you were it is.  That is if you think you can walk after all that sake."

                Standing up quick, the brightly colored haired woman shrugged. "You won't leave anyway, will you?"

                "Nope," he answered.  

"Fine…" Sylvia groaned. "Then let's go.  I guess nothing bad can happen, and it'll get you out of my place."  Without another word she headed to the door.

                "Before we go…" Miller began.

                "What is it now?"

"Are you seriously going out in your uniform? I mean wouldn't you rather wear something more comfortable?"

                "Hentai," she snapped, before looking at herself.  As she removed her police shirt, Steven shielded his eyes in embarrassment.  "What isn't this better?"

                "If you go out in public like that, I'd have to arrest you for exposure.  Most women wear a bra under their undershirt you know."

                Shaking her head in frustration the golden-eyed woman threw her hands up.  "Men.  All you think about is taking my clothes off and bondage.  Fine, wait here!"  Without another room Sylvia stormed into her small bedroom and slammed the door loudly behind her.  From within Steven heard bits and pieces of the ranting woman's slurs.  The most notable being how she compared him to her mom, however the young man had no clue what that meant.  

                Peering around the room he decided to explore.  It didn't take long before he found something to catch his attention.  On a far table rested a small package, wrapped in brown paper._  Wonder what this is? _He began as he prodder the wrapping gently.  _Maybe I can…_

Suddenly a hand appeared, grabbing his probing finger.  "Do you mind, that's private." Hakubi shouted, now donning an orange t-shirt and a torn paid of jean shorts.  Over her exhausted eyes she still bore her sunglasses from work, figuring it was best not to let anyone outside see how hurt she truly was.  "Now let's go.  I want to get this over with."

                "But what is-" Steven could not finish, as a might jerk from the lithe woman's arm drug him away.  In an instant they were on their way, heading out to enjoy the day.  

**The Streets:**

Staggering down the cluttered streets, Sylvia's legs slammed hard on the pavement as she struggled through each step.  _I'm beat_. She thought stating the obvious._  I need my gems. I'd make my own, but I don't think it would really help. _ _The ones I make only help me prolong my power and everything, they do jack for recharging me.  Maybe… maybe this is the best.  Without my gems I have a limited life, like everyone else on Earth.  I'm always hearing that addictions are bad; maybe I'm addicted to living forever.  I should… should…should…_ stopping the purple-haired woman looked in a window at her sagging frame.  "Oh no," she gasped. 

"What's wrong," Steven asked dread in his voice.

"I can't believe how bad I look," she added.  Flipping up her sunglasses the ex-Ryoko finally saw the bags under her eyes.  "Is that really me?" Spinning about the lithe woman scanned the street, having walked them many times before she quickly found what she needed.  With blinding speed that bedazzled her weary body Sylvia headed off on her quest.  

**An Hour Later:**

"Much better," the now orange-eyed woman noted as she looked at her new contacts in the window of the optometrists office.  "Don't you think so Steven?"

                "I guess," he muttered examining his wallet sadly.  "But-"

                "But what?"

                "Why did you have to get them now, and why did I have to pay for them?  Shouldn't our insurance cover things like this?"

                Whirling to face him the orange-eyed woman held up __- fingers.  "One, I didn't bring my wallet, someone sprung this outing on me.  Two, it was supposed to be a simple where is the pizzeria.  Three, my insurance hasn't come in yet.  Four, Tenchi always said I was an expensive da-"

                "Who is that?" Steven asked without looking up.

                "Who's who?"

                "Tenchi, who is that?" He amended now gazing into her fresh orange eyes.  "If he's your boyfriend, I don't want to make any trouble for you."

                "No, no, no," Sylvia said shaking her hand in a dismissive manner.  "Tenchi and I have nothing going on," she hesitated for a moment as she heard herself.  "He was the guy for Ryoko."  Stopping she trailed off quickly putting her glasses down and doing her best not to cry.  It was the hardest fight of Sylvia or Ryoko's life.  

                "Oh," he noted.  "Uh…" pausing he waited for the red to fade from her face before he continued.  "Who is Ryoko?  Is that a friend of yours?"

                _Crap…_ she groaned still unsure if her voice would crack. _Why did I have to bring up Tenchi?  I wasn't thinking.  This could be trouble. Well I better say something before this gets weird.  _"She's not my friend.  As a matter of fact I can't stand her.  See she's my… my… she's… well you see… she's… my sister.  That's who she is, Ryoko my baby sister."

"Oh… okay," Steven nodded coming to a quick conclusion. _ Sylvia is weird._  Yet a moment later he came to another conclusion._   There's something going on here.  But to get to the bottom of it I have to find him.  I have to find this Tenchi._

**The Other side of town:**

                In the wonders of the small town's bizarre, a small pink-eyed girl wandered about like a ninja.  Occasionally she would peek into the sunlit streets to wave at companions further down the path, pretending to be examining fruits, vegetables, and meat for morning dishes, but her true motives were far less innocent.  

"Okay Ryo-Ohki," she whispered to her furry companion as they ducked beneath a table.  "Operation: Find Ryoko is underway.  I just saw Ayeka and Tenchi stop at a shop a few doors down to window shop, so while they're gone you go out scouting.  I'll tell them I lost you and then we'll both be able to Ryoko hunt."

"Mya…" the brown cabbit said in a sly whisper.  Things were working according to plan for a change.  Darting off, the little creature wasted no time in vanishing. 

"Sasami!" Ayeka's voice rang out.  "Sasami are you in there?"  

_3…2…1… _the blue-haired girl counted spinning just as her sister was behind her.  In that short time the youngest heir had managed to generate tears and buried her face in the older siblings robes. "Ayeka…!" She sobbed loudly.

                Embarrassed to be causing a scene, the purple-haired noble patted her sister on the head, trying to sooth Sasami's nerves.  "It is alright, Sasami. I am not angry.  I was merely looking for you, and-"

                "I lost Ryo-Ohki!" the azure-haired child cried. "I can't find her anywhere!  You gotta help me find her."

                "Don't worry Sasami, we'll find her," Tenchi offered hesitantly entering the area where the two sisters hugged.  "Just calm down and try to remember where you last seen her. "

"I don't know," Sasami sniffed, rubbing her eyes in what appeared an attempt to dry them.  "I think we were over there…" Pointing back where they had come, the little Jurai headed out the adults in tow.  Smiling inwardly the plotting princess could only think one thing; _perfect._  

**Twenty Minutes later:  
                **As the mood between Sylvia and Steven became less weird the duo crossed towards the market portion of town.  "Well, well, well," a familiar voice called, causing the multi-colored haired woman to freeze. "If it ain't Miss Hakubi."

                "Tarant," she hissed clenching her fists.  _How'd he get out?  Don't tell me someone actually made his bail!  Oh well, a fight right now would do me good. _"All right buddy, you want some, come… get … some…!"  As she turned the lithe woman lost her voice at the sight before her.  Expecting to see a street thug with his gang, what the orange-eyed officer saw was a burly man, still every bit as powerful as before, but now he wore an apron with frills.  "Tarant…" she gasped, "you're working in a … a um…."

"A flower shop," he said through teeth that truly needed braces.  "I know dis seems weird, but after you beat me up… well… I… uh was feelin' kinda down so I was walkin by dis place and I-"

"Tarant!" a high-pitched voice called. "Are you sweeping?  I don't hear anything." At that moment a young woman popped out, her hair was neatly cropped and a beautiful blonde, her eyes twinkled in the afternoon sun, making everything seem so comfortable.  "Oh, hello and welcome to The Mizakuzi Flower Shop.  Is there something I can help you two love birds with?"

"Kazumi, I is just tellin' them about how-"

Nudging him in the stomach Sylvia grinned.  This was more the kind of action she wanted. "This find young boy was just telling us about your beautiful roses.  I told him no one could get roses that smelled that good this time of year."

"Tarant said that," she said with a friendly smile. "I guess you are a fast learner."  Suddenly she stopped and gazed at Sylvia intensely.  "Say don't I know you from somewhere?"

Panic filled the young officer as she felt her cover might be blown.  "Probably not, I get that a lot these days."

"I've got it," Kazumi giggled, "you're that Hakubi woman! The one on TV!  Oh wow!  Here," reaching to one of the bushes beside her the young shopkeeper plucked a flower free. "Take this!  It would be great for business if people saw you with one of our flowers."  

"Thanks," Sylvia sighed feeling her confidence return.  After a few more words of pleasantries, the officer duo excused themselves and began to walk off.  In the distance, Kazumi patted Tarant gently on the shoulder, causing the former gangster to blush as he resumed his cleaning duties. 

The day had truly changed for the multi-colored haired woman when suddenly her good fortune came to a grinding halt as she rounded a corner and ran face to face into her greatest fear.

That Night: An Abandoned Warehouse: Tokyo: 

As events unraveled that would threat to destroy Sylvia's new life, big things were happening in the capital city.  Despite the daylight hours, darkness seemed to have found a place to amass in the great city of Tokyo.   

Inside a group of men, some wearing nice clothes and others street garb, stood at attention as a figure in the shadows listened patiently.  

"What was that…?" the shadowy man asked.  "Tell me that one more time."

"Well Boss," the small criminal said with a shiver.  "It's like I said before, this chick cop in Okayawa took out Tarant.  When we wired the money to spring him, he said he's not going to have any part of us, or our plans anymore."

Saying nothing, the master of this crime ring sneered, his glasses glistening with a yellow hue in the pale moonlight.  "A woman?  No girl could **physically** beat Tarant.  He was too strong.  I imagine he's probably just whipped.  Find out who this woman is, I want to know."  Stepping forward, his head still cloaked in darkness, it was now obvious that the mysterious leader was someone of wealth as he wore an emerald green suit, with a nice white under shirt and matching green tie.  "Who is this supposed woman?" Instead of answering, the beaten youth merely handed up a news clipping from an Okayawa paper.  

"We got this here as soon as we could, figured you'd like to know about her.  Her name is Sylvia, Sylvia Hakubi." 

The crime-lord seemed to be taken aback by this news.  Growling he crumpled the paper in his hand.  "I'll deal with this woman, personally."

"But boss, are you sure, she's supposed to be really tough, and-" Yet it was a concern that was never finished as the tall master stuck out one hand, and emerald power flared outward consuming his henchman.  

"Don't tell me what to do, boy."  A twisted smile crossed his lips as he stepped into the shadows calling out to his men.  "We needed an excuse to field test some of our new gear.  Now's a good time, make preparations to visit Okayawa.  I want to personally see how good this Sylvia is." With that the tall man vanished into the shadows, as if he were whisked away by some unseen god or goddess.  

                "I haven't seen the boss this happy since we met up with him a year ago.  He sure has done a lot since then, rising up in the underworld to be who he is and all." A large thug whispered in fear to his companion as they examined the charred remains of a failing member of their organization.  

"Yeah, he really seemed to perk up when he saw that chick, maybe he likes her.  He isn't exactly the type to have hordes of women around him.  He's always working on science stuff and all.  I wonder if he'll let us all have a turn with this broad when he's done."

"Don't know," the black haired man echoed with a perverted laugh. "If we're lucky, and if there's anything left."

**Across Town:**

**In a Penthouse Suit:**

Standing before a great plate glass window, the crime-lord of Tokyo paused a moment from his new joy to light a small cigar, using a strange flame he made by snapping his fingers, chuckling all the while.  "Sylvia Hakubi is it?"  He asked to himself aloud.  "New name, same old girl."  Pulling out the wrinkled newspaper clipping, his eyes glistened a slight green appearing on the verge of crying as he studied her features hungrily.  

"You never had any brains did you?  I guess that means you took after your father, and not mother.  Still, we've both changed.  I had to alter myself after our last encounter," pausing in his narrative to no one, the evil man rolled up one sleeve revealing some strange markings on his pale skinned arm.  Presenting them to the photo he took great joy in speaking.  "Now I'll pay you back.  You know, I actually thought I'd lost you, but now I see you are too dumb to stay dead.  It's really very sad, you see I lost everything because of you the last time we met.  But this time… **this time** I'll be the one who walks away with the prize, Ryoko."  Taking his cigar from his lips, he set it over the officer's face, watching as it slowly ignited until her portrait.  "This time, things will be different. I'll take everything from **you**." Throwing his head back the sinister schemer laughed loudly as he enjoyed himself.  Sylvia Hakubi was soon going to be much worse. 

**Next time:** Prison time, old friends, other people, handcuffs, jail cells, and fighting!  This one will have it all!  **Chapter 06: Busted**


	6. Busted!

**Life Changes**

**Chapter 06: Busted!**

**Okayama Police Station:**

It's amazing how fast one's life can change.  One minute everything seems to be going great, following the wonderful pattern you're used to everyday.  The next everything changes, and just when you get used to the new alterations in your life, things change drastically yet again.  

Looking down at his feet Tenchi Masaki sighed in his jail cell.  _How could things have gotten this bad?  I was so sure what I saw was real…_ Feeling his heart wince the young man started to recall recent events while slowly turning to his mortified cellmate; Ayeka Jurai. 

The young princess did not cope well with being imprisoned. Her color had faded and now she merely stared in abject terror at the bar doors.  A prim and proper princess like herself thrown in jail on a backwater world on ludicrous charges seemed insane.  If she were still in Jurain space someone would be losing their job right now for this embarrassment to her family's name.  

Closing his eyes Tenchi drifted back in time mentally to an hour ago when all the trouble started.  

**One-Hour Prior:**

                The trio from the Masaki house, Tenchi, Ayeka, and Sasami, had been busy.  Each openly looked for their dear friend, Ryo-Ohki, while secretly dissecting the small town for Ryoko.  "Where is she?" Sasami said aloud causing both her companions to turn. 

                "Do not worry, Sasami. I am sure Ryo-Ohki will appear soon enough." Her sister offered in her usual cool and confident manner.  "We simply must be patient."

                Tenchi also offered his opinion as he started around a corner not watching where he was headed. "Ayeka's right.   She'll turn up soon.  She's probably just playing a game.  You know how much energy she has.  I'm sure we'll bump into her-"  

With those words the Jurain prince collided with someone, causing him and his target to stagger backwards.  "I'm sorry," he stammered turning his head as he spoke. "I wasn't…." then he stopped.  Standing before him was the spitting image of Ryoko save her orange eyes and vibrant colored hair.  

"Wasn't?" the woman echoed as her attention slowly lifted from straightening her wrinkled clothes.  In that moment her breathing stopped.

  
Tenchi had found Ryoko.  

"Ryoko! It's you! Where have you been?  Why did you leave us?"  Hearing the space pirate's name, Ayeka and Sasami dashed to the corner, shock from their old acquaintance's new appearance filling their faces. The blue-haired princess giggled as she rushed to her friend.  But then the bizarre Ryoko spoke.

                "Ryoko? I'm sorry you have me confused with someone else."  Shaking her head Sylvia seemed as shocked as everyone else.      

                "If you are not Ryoko then who are you, Ryoko?" Ayeka asked thinking the whole set up was a joke.

                "My name is Sylvia, Sylvia Hakubi." The officer echoed. "I'm sorry, but I'm not this Ryoko person."

                "Quit joking, Ryoko," Tenchi said his smile fading as the supposed joke lost its humor.  Timidly he reached forward to pat her shoulder to show he had missed her, yet Sylvia jerked away.  

                With a shake of her head the orange-eyed woman glanced at the young man beside her.  "Let's get out of here." Whirling about she began to head back towards her apartment.  

                "Wait," Tenchi Masaki screamed thrusting one hand out to grab her wrist. 

                Twisting her head to one side the Okayama officer's eyes seemed evil and full of murderous rage.  The world melted around her for a split second and once again she was Ryoko seeing not Tenchi before her, but a dying Jurain begging her for mercy.  Thankfully for the young man this memory faded as quickly as it had been born, but the malice still remained. "Release me," she hissed coming down from her emotional high. 

"You heard her," Steven added stepping between them.  It was a simple action, one both Sylvia and her partner had done before, but to the woman who was once Ryoko it was also symbolic of how her new life was barred from the old.  It was impossible for her to go back.  She simply was who she was now. Nothing could ever change that.  

With a jerk Tenchi released her wrist.  Joy and sorrow melded in her heart as he did.  The emotions the young prince's touch stirred were not altogether unwelcome, but at the same time also caused her great anxiety and pain.  "You'd better run along now, Tenchi," Sylvia declared pretending to rub a hurt wrist.  "Ryoko's not here and if you keep this up I'll run you in for harassing and assaulting an officer."

It was really a slip of the tongue and the purple-and-pink-haired woman had hoped it had slipped by everyone, but such was not the case.  In her heart she knew it.  Deciding the situation was beyond repair she flipped down her sunglasses and headed off.

_I'm losing her again,_ the brown-haired shrine caretaker panicked.  _I can't do that! Not when I was so close!_  Reaching into his pocket the young man felt his note.  Remembering his cause Tenchi dashed past Steven in an attempt to reach her.  However seeing Tenchi with one hand in his pocket and a desperate look in his eye reminded Officer Miller of his training and he leapt upon the charging youth quickly yanking both of Tenchi's arms behind his back as he read him his rights.  

Sylvia paused seeing the situation with a mixture of relief and horror. _ Maybe… _she began_, maybe now he'll understand I don't want to go home.  I can't.  Still, he did **seem** concerned maybe I should just level with everyone and-_

It was then the first princess of Jurai spoke out seeming to instantly appear before the pondering woman.  "Miss Ryoko, or whatever it is you are calling yourself, how dare you allow Lord Tenchi to be manhandled in such a fashion?  I will not let you get away with such barbaric treatment of a royal-"

It had been a long time since Sylvia had smiled menacingly at anyone.  "Is that a threat, little princess?  I suppose you two are a prince and his princess.  Well I can admit one thing, both of you are royalty, at least in the pain department."  Without a second thought the orange-eyed woman grabbed Ayeka's slender wrist and cuffed her nullifying the purple-haired princess's voice as Ayeka heard herself being read her rights.  

As the two officer's finished up Sasami began to cry.  "Ryoko why are you being so mean?  Don't you like us anymore?  Ryo-Ohki and I came all the way here to find you.  I even sent her out to look for you."

_Ryo-Ohki,_ Sylvia called to her companion.  _Go home, Ryo-Ohki. NOW!_ A twinge of terror filled her mind stemming from the little cabbit before she felt Ryo-Ohki's presence fade further away.  Kneeling before the younger princess she lifted her shades.  "Little girl, I think I'd better take you home.  Don't worry about your friends.  They'll be okay.  I just think it would be a good idea for them to cool off for a while, before they make this into a situation." 

Steven cleared his throat seeing a rather interesting point in her words.  "You know where she lives?"

Sighing Sylvia shook her head.  _It's time to tell it all. _"Yes.  I know these three.  That guy is Tenchi Masaki, and these two are Ayeka and Sasami Jurai. They are friends, in a fashion, to my sister."  Suddenly all the pieces were coming together.  Steven had found the elusive Tenchi Masaki.  "He's my sister's ex.  He was always confusing the two of us.  I'm not going to be pressing any charges or anything let's just take them downtown to cool off.  I'll tell his dad to come pick him up later.  But for now I better take little Sasami home."  To show her concern the wild-haired woman patted her new companion's head gently. 

Steven nodded sensing something bigger than he could understand was happening, and began to escort the two away.  

As Sylvia and Sasami, who pouted like she had just been spanked, left the small town rumors were born behind them.  As well as comments such as: "I always thought Tenchi was such a nice boy.  Who'd have thought he'd attack the police.  What about Lady Ayeka?  She always seemed so reserved.  I didn't know Ryoko had a sister, but then the resemblance is there…."

**The Trail Home:**

The afternoon sun filled the sky as clouds lazily moved on the breeze.  Birds chirped happily in the trees while squirrels and insects scurried about looking for their next meal.  Along the long staircase nature seemed to have found a balance, and life seemed stable and serene.  Breathing deeply, Sylvia took in the wonders she had been missing.  _Home…_ she smiled faintly.  _I never thought I'd see this place again.  _Turning her head side to side the wild-haired woman watched everything with awe.  _This is better than just home,_ she amended.  _It's heaven. A place a monster like me can't be.  Not anymore at least. _ With a sharp jerk of her neck the new officer forced her thoughts to change.  _I can't like that.  I'm not Ryoko anymore. I'm me, my own person.  I don't follow Ryoko's path.  I follow mine._

As they walked Sasami remained eerily silent the entire trip, which unsettled Sylvia greatly.  _I really wish it didn't have to be this way kiddo, _she noted as if the Jurain princess could hear her thoughts.  _But I- hey, we're almost to my old Onsen…. Man it would be great to take a dip in there.  The one at the apartments is nice, I guess, but I still feel all coated when I leave there.  It's like it's got too many chemicals in it, probably that lousy Karka's fault.  I wonder if she's a relation to Mihoshi?  Hmm…  Well in any case I don't have time for that.  Noboyuki should be in soon, so I'll just pop in tell him the deal, and then Tenchi and Ayeka will be out of my hair for good._  Mentioning her hair reminded the former space pirate of her landlord whom she cursed mentally once more for good measure.

However just as the duo reached the opening where woods meets lake another wave of dizziness came over Officer Hakubi.  This was fortunate as it was also the time when Sasami chose to stop and voice her protests. "Ryoko!  Why are you doing this?"

Sylvia lowered her shades trying to force a smile despite her weariness.  "Doing what?  And why do you keep calling me by that name?  I'm Sylvia, not Ryoko."

"Why are you pretending like we don't know you?  Like you don't know us?  It's not funny.  Everyone missed you! We need you."  Sniffling Sasami lowered her head, placing balled up fists over her eyes.  "I need you.  Life's no fun without you.  I know everyone feels like me.  Please, you have to come back.  I promise I won't ask you to pick up anything anymore.  Really, I won't be a pain anymore."  Feeling her heart drop, Sylvia reached out and placed a hand gently on the Jurain princess's back, soon she continued to escort Sasami along.  

It took a few seconds but soon the officer found her voice.  "You don't need Ryoko.  She had no real purpose.  Sylvia at least keeps the streets safe for you.  Ryoko is just a troublemaker everyone likes to yell at.  Trust me, it's better with me gone."  Sasami smiled catching Sylvia's slip. 

"So you are Ryoko." 

Swallowing hard Sylvia removed her glasses to look into Sasami's eyes directly.  "Once.  That was my name for a long time.  Not anymore.  Just you remember one thing, kiddo, none of this is your fault."_ Not entirely anyway, _she noted as no one had supported her in her time of need.  It was a pain that still winced her heart. "This is all me.  It's my choice and I have to live with it."

"But why, we always had so much fun together, and-"

Stopping her, the wild haired woman knelt down and placed a lithe finger on Sasami's lips.  "Please, it was hard enough to leave the first time.  But this is something I have to do.  I've done a lot of terrible things in the past, things I shouldn't have. Now it's time for me to try and make up for it.  So I'm asking you Sasami, let me go.  I'll be okay.  But you see I can't be here.  Not anymore.  Tell the other's Ryoko is gone.  Gone for good."

As long streams of tears poured down Sasami's face the little girl sniffed loudly.  "No!" she screamed throwing herself on Ryoko in a vicious hug.  "I won't do it!  You can't leave!  You have to stay!  We need you!  Everyone misses you.  Please!"  Realizing words would be wasted Sylvia gently tugged her tiny friend from her arm by arm.  Then slowly she rose poised to leave.  "At least come in and have some sake, and when everyone's here you can tell them.  Besides you said you'd tell father about Tenchi and Ayeka.  So you have to stay."  _Tenchi can make her stay.  I know he can._ She hoped. _Now that Ryoko's home she has to stay.  She just **HAS **to._

_You do need your gems,_ a nasal voice called. _I can feel it in you.  You're getting worn out without them. All that drinking is messing with your system.  I'd like to hear what you've been doing young lady. You had us all worried sick._  Despite her nagging tone there was relief in the super genius's voice as she beckoned her child home. 

For a time Sylvia tried to resist Washu's telepathic link, but soon realized it was useless.  The lure of her gems was also very tempting.  _I don't need them.  _She answered. _I don't need or want anything, or anyone.  So for the last time, Mrs. Hakubi stay out of my head!_  Seeing her mother standing one porch, Ryoko knew she had dealt a nearly lethal blow to her mother's heart.  Yet she knew it had to be done.  Clearing her throat the emotional woman looked at Sasami.  "Now little girl, when Tenchi's daddy comes home be sure to have him come to the station.  We wouldn't want those two staying together all night in an enclosed space, would we?"  For a moment a pang of jealousy took over her heart as she thought about Ayeka stealing her Tenchi, before recalling he was no longer her's.

Sniffing once more Sasami nodded, and slowly made her way back to the house as if she were made of freshly cooled glass and could crack at any moment.  Her fun had been ruined and now a good friend was lost, perhaps forever.

Reaching the enclave of the trees Sylvia paused watching the little girl cross the bridge to her home, where Washu waited with open arms.  The last few feet seemed to pass in less than a moment and the two small figures embraced.  Her keen ears could make out their words despite her weariness.  

"Why Washu? Why did it have to be this way?"

"I don't know, Sasami.  I don't-"  
  


Soon their words were lost to tears and the officer from Okayawa began her trek back up the trail more alone now than ever before.  

**Later: Okayawa Police Station:**

Coming out of his recollection, Tenchi heard one of his fellow prisoners in the cell next to his call out to him. "Hey, you two.  What are you in for?"  Looking away the young man did his best to ignore the unsavory character.  Being imprisoned was bad enough.  He did not want to make the situation worse by associating with real criminals.  "Hey," the thug replied.  "Hey, what are you too good to talk to me?  I try to be all friendly like and you get all uppity?  Well remember you're just like the rest of us, sitting her in a cell."

"We are not like you," Ayeka snapped furiously rising to her feet, her first motion in well over an hour. "We are here unjustly.  Because that… that… **woman** refuses to listen to reason."

"Woman?" another prisoner asked. "You don't mean Hakubi do you?"

 "Yes, we are here for harassment and assault on her person if you must know."  The young princess responded harshly.  With that a hush fell over the prison, leaving the two Jurain's to share a curious look as each wondered what exactly Ryoko had done to earn such a reputation.  

**Outskirts of Town:**

Walking back through the dense forested area, Sylvia kicked angrily at the stones lying there.  Normally she would have teleported home, or flew at least, but weariness, now more emotional than physical, weighed on her heart. _ Besides, how longs it been since I've been here?_ She asked herself as she trudged along.  Stopping she scanned the area, taking in the wonderful simplicity of the forest.  The air was cool and refreshing, seeming to fill one's lungs with the very essence of life.  Noticing that no one was around Sylvia split in two.  Her duplicate stood staring her squarely in the face. Each was a perfect mirror image of the other.  "I really need to talk to someone who can understand me," the original said simply.  "I want to talk to Ryoko, face to face."

"Okay," the double answered with a smirk.  "See you at home… sis." Without another word her twin vanished to prepare, and the orange-eyed woman shook her head.  Suddenly, without warning, a wave of dizziness came over her and Sylvia braced herself on a nearby tree.  

_Damn, I should have had her **walk** home with me… no.  Then everyone would see how she's dressed like me.  But did she have to use **that **much power?  She knows the situation as well as I do.  I have to be careful doing stuff like that.  Without my gems that could kill me…_  Finally catching her breath, and shaking off the dizzy spell, the officer of Okayawa straightened herself and slowly edged her way home.

**Much Later: Sylvia's Apartment:**

The sun had gone down when Sylvia returned to her new home.  Throwing open the door halfway the purple and pink haired woman dripped with sweat.  It had taken a lot out of her to reach her home.  Yet as she looked into her apartment her problems seemed to lessen.  There she sat, her original self complete with golden eyes, the tartan and blue striped dress, and long wild spiky silver hair.  In one hand rested a bottle of sake, and her counterpart looked to have drunk more than half the bottle already.  "You idiot," Sylvia kindly added in her own way.  "How am I supposed to unload my problems on you when you're plastered before I get home?" 

  
                "Sorry, but we," stopping Ryoko hiccupped, a red line under her eyes. "We gots company and it's not good to be inhos… inhospit… ab…ulllllll."   Bending over it seemed the clone was about to puke, but suddenly threw her head back and laughed.  

_Company…?_ Sylvia thought opening the door the rest of the way.  There sat a sober Steven, who watched the drunken sister to make sure she didn't infect him, were such a thing possible, with her odd behavior.  "What the hell?  Do you live here?  Why is it whenever I come home you're here?"

"Sorry.  I was worried about you," the male officer replied.  "You never came back to the station, and seeing you now… did something happen?"

"You look like hell," Ryoko laughed thrusting a bottle out towards her supposed sister.  "Here's some medi- medicine."

"Well I took the long way home, and went for a jog.  So you can leave now.  Sis and I have some talking to do." 

Nervously the young man cleared his throat.  "Well I would, but I just got a call. Seems there was an anonymous tip of some weapons smugglers in an abandon warehouse nearby.  The chief wants us to check it out and call in the situation."

"Right," Sylvia nodded.  _Action, just what I need to work out the kinks._ "Give me the directions, I want to talk to sis for am minute and I'll be on my way. Don't make a move without me."  A few words later Steven was out the door, leaving the siblings alone.  

"He seems nice," Ryoko said with a grin.  "But he's no Tenchi."

"No one is," Sylvia smiled weakly as the two of them merged once more.  "Alright, time to bust some heads." Rising to her feet the former space pirate rushed outward, as her adrenaline allowed her to forget her current agony.  _A quick job of busting some heads, and I'll be home to drink with me. Still, this whole thing did waste a lot of power… ah, it's just some punk kids.  I'll be fine. _

**The Warehouse:**

Like a thief in the night Steven slipped through the shadows.  Trash blew around his feet as he paced.  The only light seemed to come from an old light hanging over one of the warehouse bay doors and it barely cut the ominous darkness.   _Odd.  If there was a weapons smuggling going on, should there be some motion, or even muffled sounds.  This must have been a prank call.  But if it was, why does my gut tell me it's real.  _

As the young man passed some old crates, a hiss appeared behind him. Starting he calmed himself thinking it was only a cat.  Only what he heard next proved he was completely wrong. "Who are you?" a man's voice asked. "I was assuming Hakubi would be sent."

  
                "Well today isn't your lucky day," Steven said turning to face the voice.  It was not what he expected.  Standing before him was a tall man with pale skin; a green cloak covered his form, save for one hand that extended from the shade's form.  "What the hell are you-" In a flash of emerald light his question was lost, as a concussive blast surged from the flying man's hand and knocked the officer out cold.  

"Pest." The crime lord sighed examining the down officer. _ Interesting, brown hair, blue eyes, young earthling, he could almost pass for him….  _"Perhaps I don't need to kill you, boy.  Not just yet anyway.  Ryoko will surely come to me once she sees you."  Hefting up Steven with ease the pasty-colored man glided through the air towards the warehouse.

**Moments later:**

Sylvia walked slowly up to the abandoned warehouse, her motions rushed as she scanned the area for anything even remotely hostile.  _Where is that damn Steven?  Doesn't he know he could get hurt?   It isn't like he's me or anything.  Damn it! Why didn't I have him wait for me? _ Prowling like a jungle cat in her urban jungle, Sylvia searched the outer perimeter quickly and found only scant traces of her partner.  Despite her weakened state the lithe woman's senses were still sharp, allowing her to navigate through the darkness much more easily than any other human could.  Finally she stopped by some old wooden crates, as her keen nose picked up numerous familiar scents.  Rubbing the ground with two fingers she sniffed deeply then appeared very puzzled.  _Steven was here all right… but is that a disrupter blast?  Who on this backwater third-rate world could build something that powerful?  Only Washu is that smart._  A pang of guilt went through Ryoko's heart as she remembered how she had treated her mother earlier.  But it only lasted a moment before she realized the potential danger such a weapon could have on Earth.  Taking a deeper whiff of the soil the former space pirate smelled fresh blood.  _Steven's hurt,_ she knew instantly.  As she moved away a pain in her stomach told her something else.  One of those smells was very familiar, too familiar.  Yet despite this she tried to ignore the nagging notion in her head.  _It can't be she told herself.  The last time I saw him was the last time he'd ever be seen.  So it can't be him.  The dead don't walk and he's dead._

Reaching the bay doors Sylvia gasped.  There rested Steven groaning under the only flickering light.  A large black mark covered his chest, showing he had taken a disrupter shot full force.  "Steven!" She screamed rushing to his side.  "Are you alright?"

"Huh…" he moaned looking at her through glassy eyes. "Syl-via.  He got me.  Shot me with… some weird ray."

Her fingers would not respond to her rational orders as she tried to examine the wound.  Instead of seconds it took nearly a full minute to move the tattered remains of his uniform from the blast.  Sighing, Sylvia seemed to take some joy from what she saw.  "Don't worry, it wasn't a lethal hit.  You'll be fine."  Having did what she could to comfort him; Sylvia rose looking into the warehouse with a furious expression. "Don't worry.  I'll take this bastard down.  You just rest."

Gripping the door with both hands, Sylvia threw open the port opening and prowled inside into the darkness.   As soon as she entered the door slammed shut behind her and a familiar evil laugh resounded all around her.  

"Well Ryoko," the sophisticated dark voice said. "We meet again.  But this time you don't have that boy to protect you."  Sylvia panicked; she had sensed it was a trap, but chose to ignore that notion.  Whirling about she watched everywhere for the appearance of her adversary, but found none.  Glaring back at the door, a hiss of dissipating matter resounded behind her.  Spinning as fast as she could the former space pirate now stood face to face with her notorious enemy.    

Swallowing her horror the multicolored haired woman quaked with hate as she uttered a name fouler to her than any in Hell.  "Kagato."

Smiling Washu's former apprentice examined her for a moment before shaking his head.  His smirk seemed even more vicious than usual as he paced in circles around her moonlight occasionally revealing his features.  "I'm afraid I don't like the new you, Ryoko.  It's nothing like I had in mind initially."

"What are you doing here?  Why are you alive?  You should have died with the Soja!"

"Shouldn't we all have?  But remember Ryoko; I was tied into its system.  I knew there was a chance one of you might kill me.  So I set up an emergency teleportation sequence.  Sadly the boy was a bit stronger than anticipated and my escape vehicle was not in range, thus the Soja's gems and I were teleported to a default safe location: this planet.  I don' think you quiet understand how annoying it was, at first I'd forgotten everything about who or what I was.  I lived for weeks in the gutters begging, but with the gems I had I was able to rise in rank to become the man you see today.  It wasn't until I seen your picture in the newspaper that everything suddenly returned to me.  I suppose I owe you my thanks.  After all, now I can get revenge.  Seeing you alive means the boy lives too.  So now I can kill you, him, Washu, **and** claim the Tsunami unit as I originally planned."

"Well that picture didn't capture my good side," she answered staggering forward. "Besides I don't see you carrying around any weapons, and even with the gems you were no match for me.  I can waste you in no time flat."

"Maybe," Kagato remarked, rolling up his silk undershirt as he passed in front of her.  Upon his forearm rested 6 green gems.  "As you recall the Soja had many gems.  I was able to save a few of them, and used your philosophy to augment myself.  It was rather painful, and to be honest it's amazing now that I would recall implanting **gems** into my body.  It really is a strange practice, but since I've done it I've never felt so alive.  So you see, Ryoko, I hardly think you stand a chance. Especially since from what I can see you have no gems and I have so many."  Pausing he held out one hand and fired a blast at his adversary.  

Instinct took over as the orange-eyed woman threw up a shield to absorb the brunt of the blast.  However lack of sleep, over drinking, and no gems meant this defense would come at a hefty price.  After one blast Sylvia fell to one knee, and sweat began to pour from her forehead.   Things were not going her way and the fight had just started.  "What's this?  The mighty Ryoko falling in battle after one shot?  You've really let yourself go.  Has that boy really tainted you so much?"  Coming up to her, Kagato pinched her chin forcing her to meet his gaze as he picked her up.  "I suppose this is more of a mercy killing than revenge then.  You were so perfect when we were together, the ultimate weapon of destruction.  But look at you now, weak, dying, helpless.   You've truly become pathetic, Ryoko.  Well don't worry.  I won't let your death be a lonely one.  I'll be killing that boy soon enough.  If you go quietly I might even bury the two of you together.  Would you like that," he asked with an evil laugh.  "Would you?"

_Tenchi..._ she gasped.  Images of his smiling face and all the good times she'd had filled her mind.  _So this is what death is like.  I've heard of your life passing before your eyes, but I never believed it.  Tenchi… _the last image in her mind was her beloved whom laughed happily as they walked together.  

From that memory the failing officer found her last vestiges of strength, the same primal hatred that Kagato had praised now surged upwards eating all her reserves.  Freeing herself with one hand, Ryoko fired a crimson bolt from her opposite palm. Crimson power arched outward rocketing the large man across the warehouse through the far wall.  "No one hurts… my Tenchi." She coughed, spitting out blood, which soon trickled from her mouth, a side effect of her exhaustion and strain.  "I won't let you touch him." Once again she called forth her power, this time not merely her reserves, but the very life force.  _This is it, _she thought._ I'm going to die. But at least I was able to protect **you **this time… Tenchi._   With that she fired everything she had in an explosive power bolt that ignited the wood around her and melted metal beams. 

Kagato had just righted himself when he seen the lethal blast.  Holding his arms before his face, he willed up his shield just as the energy reached him.  The blast shattered his shield, knocking him back into the wall, but also threw strands of power everywhere igniting the building and shattering support beams.  

As the world around her burned Sylvia smiled and started to collapse.  Yet just then Kagato's body moved and he pulled free once more.  _I knew it, _she thought as everything went black. _He is the devil.  He can't be killed…  I'm sorry… I failed everybody… one more time… at least… I can't fail…anymore…_

Moving in agony the pale scientist felt sore all over. _If I didn't have my shield I'd be dead right now.  _Quickly locating his enemy he nodded with satisfaction.  _You were still as stupid as ever Ryoko. Expending so much energy over such a worthless whelp.  It's too bad; if you'd shown proper respect I might have let you live.  Who knows, I might have even let you keep the boy as a pet. But now…now you're dead._  Shaking his head, Kagato smiled, "She was a failed experiment, Professor, and failures are thrown into the incinerator." Without another thought he teleported away content that phase one of his plan was complete.  Soon he would begin phase two, and the Masaki household would never be the same.  It wouldn't be long now and everyone would remember his name, and then, and only then would his plan be complete.  

Unconscious and dying on the warehouse floor Sylvia Hakubi was destined to die in mere moments.  But just then a figure broke through the flames.  A man she would have never expected to see again. 

**Next Time:** That would be telling.  You'll just have to wait and see.

**Chapter 07: Remember Me**


	7. Remember Me

Chapter 07: Remember Me 

**The Field:**

                The sun shone down hard on the small vegetable garden where Tenchi Masaki labored.  Taking a break from his work he fought to suppress a smile.  Despite how ludicrous the charges had been, and the hour-long lecture his father had given him after getting home, it had been one of his fondest memories to date.  _I seen Ryoko,_ he fondly noted.  _What else matters?  Sure she's mad at me, and never wants to see any of us again, but at least she's safe.  I was so worried she might have gone and gotten herself into trouble.  I should have known she'd be all right.  Nothing gets her down… at least not for long.  Ryoko always springs back somehow.  I guess that's why she's Ryoko._  Picking up his hoe Tenchi resumed his work, his thoughts dwelling on his changed space pirate.  Although she had wished him gone, he couldn't help but hope they would meet again.  _Under better circumstances hopefully,_ he wished.   If Ryoko now went under an alias of Sylvia Hakubi, then he would have to try to learn more about Sylvia.  A friend was always a friend, and you can't simply will away family.  

"Tenchi!" a small voice cried out, interrupting his freshly reborn hope with the promise of trouble.  Yet even this seemed welcome, as without Ryoko things had been as quiet as his life before the girls, which was a part of his life Tenchi hoped to never see again.  Even for him it was too quiet and boring.  "Tenchi, it's the police!" 

_Haven't heard that in a while, _he groaned while wiping the huge sweat drop away as he slowly made his way back to the road._  Not since Ryoko started that barroom brawl two months ago.  _  It did not take long and the young Jurain reached the dirt road, finding Sasami and a battered Steven miller waiting for him.  The young officer looked terrible.  His right arm was in a cast, and bandages adorned his chest and covered half his face making it difficult to identify him.  "Are you all right," Tenchi asked with concern, wondering if this was linked to one of Ryoko's violent drunken fits.  

"I'll live," Steven whispered under his breath.  Although he couldn't place it there was an intensity in the young cops eye that unnerved the Jurain prince.  

"He says Ryoko, I mean Sylvia is hurt," Sasami interrupted, apparently the youngest princess knew more than Tenchi, but was waiting for his reaction.

"Is that true?  Is she all right?" The brown haired youth shouted, feeling his heart beat with the power of thunder.  "Tell me, is she okay?"  
  


Now the officer looked away.  Taking a deep breath he seemed at a loss for words.  "No," he finally said. 

Shrugging Tenchi looked panicked. No was not an answer.  He wanted, nay needed, to have more details.  "What's wrong with her," he demanded grabbing the officer by the shoulders, as he forgot his guest's injuries in his panicked state.   Tenchi's brown eyes glistened with the intensity of a super nova, and soon Steven came out of his mindless staring and spoke.

"Answer me this, do you love her?"

"Of course, he does!" Sasami snapped. "We all love Ryoko.  She's a part of our family.  I'd die if anything happened to her. That's why we were in town yesterday to find her!  We were so worried, and I-"

"I was asking him," the officer stated coolly motioning with his head to Tenchi.  "Do you love Sylvia?"

Releasing the injured cop, the young man felt his heart beat even faster.  "Now's not the time for this!  I need to know what happened to her?"

"Why?  So you can reject her like you did before?  I won't tell you anything else. Not until you answer me. Do you love Sylvia Hakubi?"

"I care about her, just like-"

"I figure you care, but do you love her?  More than anything or anyone else?"  To this question Tenchi had no answer.  It was a question he had asked himself many times, but never could answer.  

_How can I answer him?  Especially here and now?  _Sighing he simply shook his head.  "I barely know this Sylvia you keep asking me about," the gardening youth replied.  "But I know this, I've known Ryoko for a long time, and that's why I have to know, what happened to Sylvia."

Steven seemed to consider these words for a moment.  It wasn't the answer he wanted to hear, but in a way it cleared up a lot.  "Ryoko wasn't home when I went to Sylvia's.  I guess she went out drinking.  Although when we left her last night she was already plenty drunk.  Since you used to date Ryoko and I don't know how to contact anyone else of Sylvia's family, I'll leave you a message.  There was a fire last night in downtown Okayawa; an abandon warehouse. Alone it's no major loss.  Officer Hakubi and I were following up a lead on a possible weapons ring forming in this area, when we were attacked.  I never made it inside, due to my injuries, but Officer Hakubi was inside.  She sustained heavy injury, and is on life support at Okayawa General Hospital.  Since you're acquaintances the chief told the nurse's to let you in." Sasami leapt into Tenchi's arms, apparently she had only heard about Ryoko and trouble, now she cried with horror at the thought of anything happening to her friend.  Turning Officer Miller winced as he started off.  "Room 232. I don't want to sound morbid, but if you want to say your goodbye's-" He suddenly had to stop as his voice started crackling.  

"Wait," Tenchi called. "You said you were hurt, and so was she.  Who got her out of there?"

"An old case of hers," Steven sniffled as he hobbled off.  "Ol' One Punch Tarant.  Apparently he followed us downtown.  Tarant seen her as she was going that way.  Sylvia roughed him up once a while back, and got him on the straight and narrow.  He's the one who pulled her out of there."

"How do you know he didn't hurt her?" the young man called as his only source of information moved slowly away.

"Because I seen the guy who did it.  Tarant's got nothing on him." Then silence fell over the field save for Sasami's wails and Steven's slow trudging away.  All Tenchi could do was stare at the ground.  Just when hope had seemed to return everything crumbled yet again.  He had freed Ryoko years ago, then turned on her a month ago.  Now because of him she had put herself in a terrible situation, one even she could not over come.  Now Ryoko was dying and it was his fault.  

**Okayawa General:**

Together Tenchi's extended family had been to the depths of space, survived intergalactic war, and overcome warlords from other worlds, but none of this could compare to the horror they now faced.  It was a strange procession that entered the intensive care ward that early morning.  A group of six adults and two child size figures entered in as if waltzing into a tomb.  Normally the strange family was chatting or arguing about something but now nothing seemed amusing or worth concerning themselves over.  One theirs lie dying, and they were needed, thus they had come.

Tenchi, Kiyone, Yosho, and Ayeka walked quietly.  The young man was still too emotionally numb to truly grasp what was happening.  Kiyone also seemed in shock, although she hadn't developed the depth of a relationship with the space pirate as the others had, still this was not one of her happier memories.  Meanwhile Ayeka and Yosho used every ounce of their royal training to suppress tears.  The others were not so blessed.  Mihoshi wailed as if at a funeral, while Sasami sniffled as she clutched to Tenchi's arm wiping her nose and eyes on his sleeve from time to time.  Over her forearm she held a small purse, where Ryo-Ohki hid so she could see her mistress once again.   Washu fought back her tears, but it was a battle she was destined to lose.  Holding a box of tissue the red-haired genius pulled out a fresh one to clear her eyes.  More than anyone else she knew that if her daughter were hurt this badly nothing on this planet could save her.  Noboyuki also followed behind, silent crying at the thought of losing his first, and most photogenic, houseguest.  

With a gentle nudge Tenchi moved Sasami to her sister as he made a short trip to a nurse's station for directions.  Instantly the young lady, Nurse Joy, behind the desk shot up and escorted them to a room at the end of a long corridor of twists and turns.  Inside the room was only one bed, which was surrounded by a large plastic curtain. Tubes and cords ran from various machines inside the plastic dome, monitoring and supporting all of the occupant's vitals.  

Upon that small bed rested the broken body of Sylvia Hakubi, or Ryoko, as her friends knew her.  Before everyone could enter Nurse Joy held up both hands.  "Please, one at a time.  If the rest of you could wait out in the hall, we have a lot of delicate equipment in use right now.  We don't want to run the risk of it being harmed, as it's monitoring Miss Hakubi's condition."  At first everyone seemed angry, as each wanted to see their friend, but one look at the pain in Tenchi's eyes as he regarded them hushed any protests before they were born.  "Mr. Masaki," she said hesitantly.  "If I could see you over here for a moment.  There is something I was asked to tell you."  Nodding Tenchi followed, allowing the others to decide who would go first.  Without their leader it was a difficult decision.  As the duo disappeared around the corner, Washu rose to her feet.

"I'll go," she said clearing her throat. "I'm sure she just looks worse than she is.  You know my daughter," the green-eyed woman laughed, "a fright in the morning."  Ayeka was the only one to crack a smile at the poor attempt at a joke.  "Right, five minutes."  Washu declared.  Slowly she entered the room and shut the door behind her.

**Around the Corner:**

Tenchi and the nurse stood a few feet around the corner face-to-face. "Mr. Masaki," she began feeling very uncomfortable with what she had to say.  "As you know, Mrs. Hakubi's condition is very delicate.  The doctors say… well they don't think she'll make it through tonight.  I didn't want to say anything in front of the children, but I think it's best you should know."

"I see," Tenchi said, biting his lips to not cry. "Thank you, but I figured as much.  Ryo- Sylvia was always very tough.  She's always been more than capable of taking care of herself and everyone else.  I knew it was serious when the police informed us of her condition."

Nodding Nurse Joy started to turn then paused. "There was one other thing.  When Mr. Tarant brought her in, he said she mentioned you, by name, before she passed out.  We told the chief of police, and that's why he cleared you to come through."  Now it was the young man's turn to nod.  "Oh, and what you had to say about Mrs. Hakubi was quiet touching Mr. Masaki, but I have learned one thing in my profession.  No matter how strong a person seems; everyone needs someone sometime.  But you don't need to hear that from me.  I'll go now.  Sorry to keep you."  

As the nurse left, Tenchi watched the floor as if it were about to run away.  _Everyone needs someone **sometime.**_ It was an obvious statement, one he had never considered before, but this past month had driven the idea home.  Looking to the corner, he shook his head.  

_Ryoko…_ he thought before heading back to join the others.

**Inside:**

Washu's laboratory was the most impressive, vast, and noisy place in the known universe.  It was filled with seemingly infinite flashing screens, blinking lights, and creatures from all corners of the galaxy.  However, being in this hospital room made her feel incredibly small, frail, and insignificant.  It was a feeling she hated.  In her own lab she was master, and nothing seemed beyond her control.  Here everything was beyond her.  The slow beat of the heart monitor mixing with the rhythmic sound of the respirator chilled her blood, but not so much as they sight of so many tubes and wires adorning her child's body.  Even thought the room was so small, it took nearly a full minute for Washu to cross it.  Deep down she lied to herself saying if she didn't look Ryoko would be fine, but her head told her that her heart was lying.   

Looking down, Washu failed to hold in her tears.  Bracing herself on the ledge of Ryoko's cot a painful cry escaped her lips.  Bruises covered her daughter's body, as did cuts and discolorations, which her natural healing factor should have instantly fixed.  Rising above the horror she felt the green-eyed woman called her computer forth and monitored her child.  Her results were the same as the Earth's computers.  Ryoko was fading fast and there was nothing that could reverse it.  

"Oh," she whimpered placing one trembling hand on her daughter's cheek to caress it, perhaps for the last time.  "My baby… why…what… what did I do wrong?  Who would do such a thing to you?  You're my precious little girl.  Who did this?  How could you let them?  I thought I taught you better."  As she sobbed louder, it because apparent that her little body could not control the emotions she felt.  Instantly she assumed her adult form and despite the nurse's warning and her own scientific knowledge told her she reached out and hefted her daughter into her arms to hug her close.  Ryoko made no move to resist, instead limply hung from Washu's arms.  Only the temporary interruption in the respirator signified any change in status or position.  

Suddenly a hiss filled the super-genius's mind, the end of a word that was just missed.  "What," Washu sniffed replacing her daughter on the bed still rubbing one of Ryoko's hands trying to stimulate her for conversation.  "Are you there, Little One?  Please, answer me.  Now's no time for jokes, young lady.  I mean it.  I'll tell Tenchi on you.  Come on Ryoko…" Soon her voice became frantic.  "Come on, wake up.  Tell me to shut up, threaten me, insult me.  Just do something don't just lay there.  COME ON!"

Unable to say anything else Washu just stared tears pouring out of her eyes until a small voice in a distant corner whispered incoherent quiet words.  _Sorry…make…worry…forgive…me…mommmmeee…._

After that, the mental voice fell silent once again, and the universe's super genius felt infinitely small.  Returning to her chibi form she nodded.  "There's nothing to forgive, Little Ryoko." She smiled despite her tears, before kissing her child gently on the cheek.  "It's a mother's job to worry about her little girl.  Just please, please come back to me.  I promise I'll make it better whatever it is I can do it.  I'll do anything just come back."  The only reply was a weak inhaling from the dying body signifying that there was nothing else she could or would say.  Clearing her eyes Washu returned to the hall trying to remain upbeat in the face of death, while beckoning in the next speaker.  The youthful looking genius did not stay, instead muttered something quickly about waiting outside.

***

Kiyone entered quickly, shutting the door with a bit of nervous energy.  Laughing she clapped her hands as she waltzed over.  "Hey," she began trying not to look at the dying figure. "I hear you're a cop now.  I never heard of that one before.  I've seen a lot, mind you, but I've never heard a wanted criminal becoming a cop."

_Quit rambling!_ She told herself.  _You've seen people like this before. You're a GP officer! _ With a puff of air the green-eyed woman finally looked at Ryoko, but all her training did nothing to stop her tears.  "I'm sorry, Ryoko.  Really I am.  I shouldn't have suspected you were up to something.  I should have seen you were in trouble.  Any good cop…." Covering her mouth, Kiyone whirled and darted not only out of the room, but also out of the hospital to the street below.  Nothing in her life could or would have prepared her for seeing Ryoko, who had always been so powerful, indeed seemingly invincible, reduced to that.   

***

Ayeka was used to things being clean, orderly, and proper.  However in the time since she came to Earth she had also become accustomed to the opposite, due to the woman who she now came to visit.  A small click signified the door was shut, and the alien princess finally allowed her royal training to drop away.  At the door it started out as simply tears adorning her normally calm face, but as she crossed to Ryoko's side it soon became a wail that shook her sides and made every motion ache.  

"You damn selfish bitch," she hissed, pounding a fist helplessly on the side of the bed. "How dare you do this to me?  Don't you know who I am?  I am Ayeka, First princess of the house of Jurai!  You are my unworthy rival for Lord Tenchi's heart.  How **dare** you put yourself in such a position before I can cast you out!  I order you to stop this nonsense at once and face me…!"  Despite the strength of her words there was no power in Ayeka's body.  Falling to her knees she sobbed uncontrollably.  She had seen death before, many Jurains fell when Ryoko had first came to her planet, but that was long ago, and no one who perished was a close personal friend.  Not like Ryoko was to her.  

"You were always like this," she spat out as she bawled.  "Self centered, perverse, greedy, an exhibitionist, drunken, thieving, lying, cheating… you were also the best friend a first princess of Jurai's royal house could ask for…." Covering her face her eyes soon became solely red, and her cheeks became puffy from exhaustion.  Finally well after her assumed time was up, Ayeka regained control.  Rising she made sure not to look at the cobweb of hoses that was supposedly her rival and quickly left, deciding to wait outside like everyone else.  

***

It took several tries before Sasami actually entered the room.  Timidly she opened the door, then shut it fearing what might happen if she were to see Ryoko in such a state.   Yet when Tenchi told her it was okay, and she did not have to go, Sasami's courage showed itself and she entered in quietly. 

The blue haired girl toured the room, walking around to look at all the machines and instruments.  Of course none of them made sense to her, but that was fine.  Although she was in the room, Sasami still lacked the courage to approach Ryoko.  Staring at the small registrations on the heart monitor the pink-eyed princess seemed lost.  It wasn't until a meow from within her purse that she remembered she was not alone.  "Sorry, Ryo-Ohki," she swallowed as she freed her stowaway.  Instantly the brown-furred creature leapt free and scurried over to her master's side. However, the leap from ground to too much, and she simply sat on the ground meowing painfully as she looked upwards.  With a flustered expression, Sasami charged over and clamped her hand over Ryo-Ohki's mouth.  "Ryo-Ohki! You can't do that!  If anyone finds you here they'll make you leave.  Then-" She stopped as she saw Ryoko.  Dropping the little cabbit on the bed, Sasami cried as only a child could, alerting any adult around that she was distraught, Ryo-Ohki followed suite.  

"It's not fair," she stammered. "You lied!  You said you'd be okay.  But you're not!  I hate you Ryoko!" Burying her head on the side of the cot, Sasami heard the heart monitor skip a beat then beep for a long period.  Panic overcame the young noble. "No, don't die Ryoko!  I didn't mean it! I don't hate you!  Oh, please don't die! You can't, you have to live…" Soon the wailing of her sobs overpowered her words.  Yet it seemed to work, as the sound of a heart beat once again registered on the monitor.    

As her friend cried, Ryo-Ohki nudged Ryoko's finger hoping to rouse her mistress.  It did not work.  Slowly she licked her master's fingertip, a gentle sensation she knew the former space pirate found stimulating.  It was then a distant fading voice resounded a final message in her mind.  

_B…gud…Ryo…oh…key…watch…Sassssss…..me…_ it was a mesh, but the tiny cabbit understood the meaning. This was the moment she had dreaded since her birth, death.  Not her own, but her master's.  This was Ryoko's farewell.  She had had her last adventure and now the tiny cabbit was to find new ones on her own.  Turning the golden-eyed cabbit hopped down, grim determination in her eyes as she reentered Sasami's handbag.  

"Mya," she uttered, causing Sasami to look up.  As soon as the blue-haired girl was looking the tiny cabbit pointed to its mouth. "Mya! Mya! Mya!"

With a laugh the little princess moved over to her friend. "You silly, you're always hungry, aren't you?  I wish I could be like you, Ryo-Ohki.  I bet you think Ryoko's just napping, huh?  Well," pausing she looked back at her friend on the cot. "I guess she is in a way.  Come on.  Let's go home.  I have to get dinner going soon or everyone will get really hungry!"

As the duo left, the golden-eyed companion peeked back at her dying master.  Although it could have been a trick of the light, or a bad angle from her position, she would always swear she had seen her mistress crack a faint smile.  Ryoko had taught her well.  Ryo-Ohki could lie.

***

Noboyuki hated this.  He hated hospitals almost as much as he hated being in them.  Throughout his life he had lost many people who meant a lot to him, and it always seemed that taking them to the hospital only served to signify that death had claimed another person important to him.  However his personal hatred aside there was something even more devastating to him than his hospital-phobia, what this would do to his son.  

Everyday Noboyuki worried about Tenchi.  His son had never known his mother, and so had no memories of the bond a mother and son share.  He never had the chance to argue with her for worrying too much, or have her tend one of his scraped knees.  No one ever made him a plate of treats when he had a bad day, or tucked him in with a heartwarming lullaby.   Those were things that only a mother could do, and even thought he tried, it was impossible for one man to be both mother and father.  

Worse still had been the loss of Tenchi's grandmother, whom the young man had a powerful emotional connection.  Sometimes late at night, when the two Masaki's were both up, Tenchi would confide in his father about some memory he had of his grandmother, out of the blue and without warning.  He was sure that it was the death of Yosho's wife that had turned his son into an emotional recluse. 

He had worried what this loss would do to his son, especially since the young man seemed to have no interest in relationships despite being a virile; he was a Masaki after all, youth.  But all that changed the day Noboyuki had discovered Ryoko in Tenchi's room.  Hope returned to an aging father's soul.  Now that hope lay before him, clinging to life by a thread and quickly losing its grip.  

Words could not describe his trauma, and so the mature Masaki simply took Ryoko's cool hand in his and whispered quickly to her.  "Come back to us, Ryoko.  If not for yourself; then for Tenchi.  I don't want to lose him again, and only you can reach him.  Please."  With a final squeeze the black-haired man turned. He had lost twice now to death, he only prayed this would not be the third time. 

***

Yosho breathed deeply as he entered the sterile hospital room.  He and Ayeka were both Jurain Royals.  Both understood how to act in public, and what was considered respectable behavior.  Like Noboyuki he had known the pain of loss.  Of course not too many could fathom it as he could, after all how many people had lost their birthright to an intergalactic nation?  But there was one thing he had that neither his half-sister, nor his son-in-law, would ever fully grasp.  That being a warrior's spirit.  

Ryoko and he shared that in common.  While they each stood on opposite sides of each other on the field of combat, each was a warrior. "It seems my wishes for you to have a safe journey were not enough.  I apologize."

Dropping his disguise, the old Shinto priest appeared in his young Jurain form.  Bowing deeply he bit his lip.  With a ragged breath he shook his head.  "I truly am sorry Ryoko, all of this…" he motioned with one hand, "is my fault.  I never thought all those years ago you would end up like this.  This is not the fate a warrior should have.  Nor… is it the fate a lady should earn.  I prayed Tenchi would be strong enough to help you, to guide you into a life of your own.  It was because of that belief that I let you go. I thought I was helping you find what you were missing.  Now I see that I was wrong, and the cost…as always… was too high."  Feeling tears start to cascade down his cheeks, the young man bristled standing at full attention.  "Please accept my deepest apologies, and may your next journey take you to a place where you can be truly happy."  Turning he resumed his elder form, and left.

***

Mihoshi was an emotional wreck, more so than ever before.  She stood at the doorway, clutching a small Styrofoam cup of water.  Her entire body was tightly wound and her eyes trickled tears steadily as she inched her way over to Ryoko.  "Umm…" she began nervously. "E…excuse me, Ryoko?"  Pausing the tanned officer came up closer. "Ryoko? I don't know if you can hear me, but… but I'm sorry.  I know I wasn't any good at anything, and I know I made you mad all the time.  But I **am** sorry."

Leaning forward her sobs amplified as she spoke. "Please, I promise not to bother you any more, and I won't spill stuff on your dresses-" just then Mihoshi leaned forward a little more, and deposited her cups contents upon the sleeping woman.  "Oh no!" she gasped turning to look at the wet Ryoko.  Yet nothing changed.  The still form did not redden, nor did she make any move to punish Mihoshi for her bumbling.  Instead only the stead sound of a respirator filled the air.  The blonde officer swallowed hard, bumping a monitor, and for once doing no damage as she staggered towards the door.  Stopping just as her hand touched the knob, she turned back. "See you later?  Okay, Ryoko?" Without another word the young woman bolted out, heading to the street to meet the others.

Were she there another moment she might have heard. A voice, tiny and frail, uttered two words. "Damn… Mihoshi…."

***

Last, but certainly not least, was Tenchi.  This was the darkest day of his life.  Never before had he felt his heart tear into as many pieces as it did right now.  He had lost so much in his life, in the form of his mother and grandmother, without ever getting the chance to truly know either of them.  But this pain rivaled all the rest.  He **had** known Ryoko, had held her in his arms and spoken with her as an adult.  They had experienced a wide variety of emotions from anger to joy, laughter and sorrows, but now there was only despair.  

Like Sasami had before him, the young man patrolled the outside edges of the room examining everything carefully.  He purposely avoided the center, where Ryoko lay.  Each monitor showed some sign, and the young man was sure if Washu were here she could explain everything to him.  In a way he wished she was.  However that would not happen.  Right now he was alone.  For the first time in a long time, he and Ryoko were alone with one another and no one would interrupt that.  _It also might be the last time,_ he thought morbidly. 

It started as a quick peek, as if she might have left while he wasn't looking, but soon Tenchi's eyes were fixed on the dying frame laying in wait for death's embrace.  For the rest of his life he would never know when he reached her side, only that once he seen her he could not walk, or turn, away.  

"Ryoko…" he said simply then went quiet.  Sniffing he tried to be strong, but couldn't soon, like the others, he was crying.  "Ryoko…" he repeated.  A single tear fell from his eye striking her hand that lay like a broken claw.  Tenchi swore he saw motion, but then realized he was fooling himself.  With a painful sigh he reached into the contents of his jacket, pulling out the Tenchi-ken whose gems glistened in the dim light of Ryoko's chambers.  

"I brought the sword," the young man said hopefully. "It's got your gems.  I think you should have them.  Then you might get better.  Well…" he swallowed "let me give you one right now."  Holding up the sword he recalled the first night they had met, where he prayed the jewel back into Ryoko's possession.  It had been so easy, so comforting to give her what she wanted.  Yet now as he willed the gems off the blade, it felt as if something was pushing them back, preventing him from giving Ryoko her gems.   "I don't get it, I want to give them back to you.  That way you can live, and-"

Then a voice whispered out, interrupting him. "No…. G-bye-Ten-chi…" He stopped, tears rolling from his eyes.  

"No! Ryoko!  You can't do this, fight it Ryoko! Whatever it is, fight!" Dropping the master key, he grabbed her shoulders.  So busy was he in his argument the young man did not hear the heart monitor beep at a quicker pace. "Please, come back home.  We need you; I can't be strong for everyone forever.  I need your strength!"  Letting her go, he slipped back to the side of the bed.  "We've been through too much. The fight at the school, Ayeka and the other's bizarre arrivals, the incidents at the Onsen, Dr. Clay kidnapping you, Kagato taking over your mind, and Ayeka's parents… please I can't go through things like that alone.  I need your help. I made it through all that with you.  Please."

_Kagato… _Ryoko thought darkly.  _I have to warn him… Kagato…._

_But look at you now, weak, dying, helpless.   You've truly become pathetic, Ryoko.  Well don't worry.  I won't let your death be a lonely one.  I'll be killing that boy soon enough.  If you go quietly I might even bury the two of you together.  Would you like that," _he asked with an evil laugh.  _"Would you?"_

"I'll come back later, Ryoko," Tenchi said rising to his feet slowly not wanting to let go of her hand for fear she might disappear.  "The nurse's didn't want us to wear you out.  Rest now.  I'll be back later."  Saying nothing more the young man started to leave, not seeing Ryoko's hand towards him before falling back down.  Tenchi looked back at the limp form and hoped there would be something to return to later.

From the depths of her mind, Ryoko had felt the presence of her family, and knew they were gone.  Gone to their own demise.  Truly there was nothing she could do.  She had refused her gems, and thus had no power.  While everyone might have a chance against her former master they were doomed to die this time around, as this time Kagato would be ready and have an army.  _Tenchi… no… Ten…_  Without another word Sylvia and Ryoko's world faded to black.  Together they drifted off to a well deserved and wanted, rest.

**Later:**

The walk home from Okayawa general had been a long quiet one.  Not a single member of Tenchi's extended family had said a word.  Instead only sniffling, crying, and the occasional heartfelt sob echoed forth.  It was the darkest day any of them had ever known.  As they reached the red-roofed house, everyone went their separate way, Tenchi to the living room waiting for a call should Ryoko's condition, Ayeka went to her room, and Sasami went to cooking a late snack.  Ryo-Ohki hopped off, taking a tour of the large house, recalling all the good things her and her mistress had there. Washu quickly rushed to her lab.  She had cried the whole way home, but a sudden wave of nausea overcame her and the red-haired woman felt it was best to be alone until it passed.  Yosho parted from them at the door, heading to the shrine for what he called mediation, yet everyone could tell by a slight crackle in his somber tone that he was as upset as everyone else.  Noboyuki slipped off to his room, deciding to look through his photo albums and watch some old videos of Tenchi, Ryoko, and the rest of the extended family.  Mihoshi and Kiyone went to the Onsen, although each sat on opposite sides, facing away from the other.  

**That Night:**

**The Living Room:**

Lunch had come, as had dinner.  Now everyone, save Yosho, gathered in the living room with the same grim silence they had all daylong.  The crying had ceased for a time, and now only depression remained.  There was no laughter, meaningless chatter, or arguments, nor did anyone meet anyone's eyes.  Finally it was Noboyuki who spoke.  "I think we've been quiet long enough.  I found this while looking through my old videos I found this."  One at a time each person looked up and watched as the elder Masaki started the tape.  

It could have been one of countless transmissions, showing a scantily clad Ryoko chasing Tenchi while Ayeka rushed after a broom held high overhead as she prepared to pummel her rival.  Seeing herself acting in such a manner the purple haired woman blushed.   

Soon the video skipped, showing Sasami and Ryo-Ohki trying to teach Washu how to cook something at that instant Ryoko teleported in with her trademark hiss.  "Sasami…" the silver-haired pirate whined. "You said you'd pick up some more Sake for me when you were at the market.   I'm almost out!"

"I'm sorry, Ryoko." The young princess replied. "I forgot."

"Sending a child to buy your sake, that's got to be a new low even for you Ryoko!" Washu laughed as she carefully observed Sasami's unconscious skill at cooking. 

"Quiet, MOM!" Ryoko snarled.  "Now Sasami," she cooed being as seductive and friendly as she could get with a pre-pubescent girl.  "I'll forget all about this mistake, and even go pick up my sake, if you'll just loan me our budget wallet."

"Well…" the little girl said stretching her word.  "As long as you promise not to do any gambling with it."

"Gambling! Sasami! I'm shocked you would say such a thing.  Why I never gamble, I have a system." Then she added under her breath.  "It just is a fifty-fifty chance it'll work… okay sometimes it's a twenty-eighty percent chance…." Suddenly she stopped, realizing she had been caught, and turned towards the camera.  "Hey! Are you recording this?"

"Well I…" Noboyuki began.

"Gimme the camera," she snarled reaching towards him as Tenchi's father jerked away, muttering protests about how expensive the camera was. "I said give that to me-"

As the screen went to static, Sasami and Washu's distressful calls could be heard, as it seemed they were trying to pull Ryoko off the fallen cameraman.  

With the end of the video, Noboyuki shut off the television.  Smiles now replaced their frowns.  

The occasional chuckle broke the silence.  "That reminds me of the time Ryoko tried to get me to do something stupid," Mihoshi said simply. 

"Oh, that would be hard," Kiyone added getting minor laughs, as no one wanted to offend Mihoshi.  

"Do you recall the time that woman- Ryoko, tried to cook that turkey dinner for us?" Ayeka offered.

With a groan Sasami shook her head, and rubbed her eyes.  "Don't remind me," she sighed. "I still haven't been able to get the ceiling back to its regular color."

"I'm just surprised the blast radius she managed to get out of a potato.  My in lab experiments only had an **irradiated** potato blast zone of 30 miles.  But that's my daughter, when she wanted to she could even make a turkey fly."

"That reminds me… I hear her cornmeal dish was located… near Pluto," Kiyone said as everyone laughed.    Soon more and more stories of Ryoko and the zany antics she had brought upon them came.  Even Ayeka had a kind word or two about her most popular rival.  It wasn't until late in the evening until everyone finally retired.  

Yet Tenchi couldn't bring himself to relax, not while Ryoko was in the hospital.  He wanted to make sure he was the first to hear and that he was the one to break the terrible news to the others. _ It's only right.  After all, all of this is my fault. _

                Near the middle of the night, the young man finally fell asleep.  At the moment he did, the phone rang, and all hell broke loose.  


	8. Tumbling Down

Life Changes: Chapter 08: Tumbling Down  
  
Okayawa General:  
  
Some called the late shift the graveyard shift, and Nurse Joy hated the notion. The hallways were devoid of life, save herself and indeed on quiet nights like this one she felt like the last living creature on earth. Nervously she checked her charts, wondering if it was time for her to make the rounds. Things aren't quiet as glamorous as I thought, she realized thinking back to her notions of what nursing would be like when she was a graduate student. It seems like I see more people come in sick, than I see people going out healthy. Stopping at one chart she shook her head sadly. It was the saddest of all the cases she had seen in her life. Pausing a moment to brush a loose red hair from her face Joy swallowed hard. Her most dreaded task was watching a young person fade away. Just this afternoon she had seen a whole troupe of friends and, she guessed, family come to see the fallen officer, and it had been Joy's duty to tell the young man that Officer Hakubi would probably not have very much longer to live. Most of all, the green-eyed nurse sighed as she flipped through her copy of Sylvia's health charts, I hate this waiting. Waiting for someone to pass away before I tell the family the terrible news. Feeling tears welling in her eyes she fought hard against them. This isn't what I wanted with my life. I always thought doctors and nurses were supposed to be modern miracle workers that they could save anyone! But all I've seen is machines that drag out suffering. I just wish once I could see one of those miracles I've heard about in all my classes.  
  
Before the situation could get any worse, a room light began to buzz loudly and flash just as a police siren. Instantly Joy was on her feet, moving swiftly, but not fast. She already knew what the signal meant, the patient had flat-lined, and the room was the officer's. By the time anyone could reach her, no matter how fast they were, Sylvia Hakubi would be dead. The miracle of life overcoming death would once again be only a dream. As she reached the door, Joy hesitated a nanosecond before she threw open the door. The sight she beheld caused her held back tears to escape and race down her face to the floor. Sylvia would no longer be resting in her care, and it was time to make an important telephone call.  
  
The Masaki House:  
  
Near the middle of the night, Tenchi Masaki finally fell asleep in the living room. No sooner had he rested his tired heard on the couch than the phone rang. Instantly he was on his feet. A cold sweat came over him as he wondered what news he was about to receive. As he reached for the receiver, all hell broke loose, and the phone call went unanswered.  
  
Numerous explosions racked the quaint home, sending glass shards soaring in shredding all in their path. Jerking to one side, the brown-haired youth threw one arm over his eyes hoping to save his vision. Suddenly a small child cried out from above, causing Tenchi's blood to freeze in his heart. "Sasami," he yelled recognizing the voice. "Don't worry, I'm-" As the Jurain youth called out another sound filled his ears, a low clunking sound followed by a hiss. What's that smell? Oh, it's just gas. Before another thought could cross his mind, the brown-haired boy swayed and lost consciousness.  
  
At that instant the broom closet door burst open, and out leapt a small red- haired woman with a large laser rifle and a gas mask. "Tenchi, get everyone out of here. I don't know who it is, but someone's attacking us and I think they're playing dirty." Scanning the area Washu could not locate her companion through the dense smoke. "Tenchi? Where are you?"  
  
"You should worry more about yourself than the boy," a sinister voice declared with amusement. Spinning on her heels the emerald-eyed genius made a gasping noise as she realize who had invaded her home. It also explained why her sensors could not detect his presence, and made it painfully obvious who had destroyed her daughter's body. Yet this information came to late to be of any real use. With relative ease the large man slipped a strange medallion with snakes adorning its perimeter around her neck. As soon as it touched her body the red-haired genius collapsed her mind cut off from her body.  
  
"You are Ryoko are so easy. I suppose it was the one trait you did pass on to her, like mother like daughter as they say." The attacker chuckled as he scooped up the fallen Washu. "Besting the two of you is no longer challenging." Looking up through his glasses Kagato nodded his approval. The gas would not affect him, as it was designed not to, and even if it could his gems would reduce the effects to a minimal. An evil smile creased his face as he basked in the glory of his victory. "I really did expect more from the people who killed me," he mused. "If only Ryoko were still alive, she might have offered me some entertainment. But I suppose that's just wishful thinking." Looking over his shoulder the white-haired madman motioned to one of his heavily armed minions. Moving lethargically the minion took Washu from his arms. "Gather up everyone, and tie them up here. But do not, I repeat, do not; remove anything from their persons. Am I clear on this? The equipment they are carrying is deadly and despite appearances very high tech. Compromising its structure will have dire consequences."  
  
With a sharp intake of air from his tank, the black leather clad figure nodded before leading a team of three other identical looking men up the flight of stairs.  
  
"Lord Kagato," an electronic voice called from the communicator on Kagato's wrist. "We are in position."  
  
"Good," Washu's apprentice commanded with a smile as a cloud of smoke passed his face creating a fearsome shadow in the moonlight. "Proceed, but remember. Leave him alive. He is, after all, quiet old and very important to my plans." A loud thump from the stairs caught his attention and the yellow-eyed scientist once again smiled as he saw the young princesses Sasami and Ayeka being carried unconscious down the stairs by two of his loyal followers. Everything proceeded as planned. Ryoko was dead, burned alive after being beaten by his hands; the boy was unconscious before him; his former mentor was bound in shackles; and the Jurain princesses were now in his grasp. Nothing could possibly go wrong now.  
  
The Shrine:  
  
Just as life was turned upside down at the house, the ancient Masaki shrine lost its nightly innocence and became a war-zone. Like living shadows dozens of men with silver-colored gas masks and black jumpsuits melted into the old building, weapons drawn. They appeared to be bulbous creatures from the waist up, with protrusions that were their arms and legs coming from the central sphere.  
  
Despite the stealth they gained from their wonderfully advanced technology each of Kagato's soldiers were shocked to find the Shinto priest not only awake, but armed with a wooden bokken, and standing at the center of the shrine. "I don't suppose you would leave without making a fuss, would you? Or perhaps we could discuss this matter over tea?" To answer Katsuhito's questions twelve guns pointed at his chest simultaneously. "I thought not. Well then," the old Shinto priest said with a weary sigh. "I suppose we'll have to do things the hard way." As he raised his bokken to attack, a sharp pain winced through his heart, and the Jurain heir fell to one knee. So intense was the pain that tears welled in his eyes. He had not been struck, nor shot, but knew something had changed and threatened to suck the life from his body.  
  
I'm dying, he realized with horror. After well over 700 years, I am dying. But why now, what has changed? The Tenchi-ken is still infused with Ryoko's gems, which sustain Funaho, Ryoko, and myself. So why.Suddenly the answer came to him. Something must have changed. Ryoko must be.another convulsion in his chest caused the old priest to loose his grip on his sword, and it felt uselessly to his side.  
  
Slowly the leather-clad intruder in front of him eased forward, booting the suffering priest to his back. Rising up one wrist he spoke into his watch. "Sir, it seems the old man is having a heart attack. Please advise."  
  
"I thought I said to leave him alive," Kagato's voice hissed over the communicator. Instantly Prince Yosho's eyes widened as he recognized the voice.  
  
"Yes sir, we arrived. He began to resist, then simply collapsed."  
  
For long moments only silence came as a reply. Finally the evil scientist answered. "Interesting. Very well, post a guard and keep watch over him. He is tricky and might be trying to pull something. Keep me informed."  
  
Later: The Masaki House:  
  
As the last of the knockout gas drifted out of the multiple windows of the red-roofed home, Kagato paced the comfortable home alone. His men waited outside, while he prepared his interrogation. It was the one thing he knew in this life he would enjoy above all else, save his assent to godhood when he assimilated the Tsunami unit. Everything around him sickened him. This world is nothing more than a ball of mud with insects rolling their own waste into homes. I've seen craters with more intelligence. Pausing he glared at the television and scoffed. Their communications are so primitive they may as well use tin cans and strings. No holo-screens, no instant transports. It's a wonder anything intelligent ever occurs on this world. Yet his continual disgust at Earth's existence would have to wait, as a low moan came from behind him. There was the entire Tenchi family, minus Ryoko or Prince Yosho, bound back to back with rope as they slept under the influence of his gas. Returning to his captives he knelt before the awaking youth. "Good-evening, prince Tenchi." He laughed to himself.  
  
With a sharp sniff, the young man looked up horror in his eyes. "Kagato! But I killed-"  
  
"You killed nothing more than a shadow, boy!" To emphasize his greatness the villain rose up to tower over Tenchi. "Now tell me, where is it?"  
  
"Where's what?" the Jurain prince groaned still weak from the gas.  
  
"Don't play coy with me," Kagato growled. "The sword! The master key! I must have it if I am to take control of Tsunami. Thanks to you I have lost the Soja, and with it all my wonderful tools. Now tell me, where is your sword!"  
  
"Why should I tell you?" Tenchi responded feeling his anger burning  
away the affects of the gas.  
  
Breathing hard the old apprentice of Washu nodded. "You know you're right. Why should you? There really is no good explanation I could offer I suppose. But you should know that if you give me what I want then we will never meet again."  
  
"Do. not. do it Lord Tenchi," Ayeka said slowly coming out of her gas- induced slumber. "He cannot be trusted."  
  
"Lady Aye-ka," the villain mused. "Always a pleasure. But of course the two of you are really in no position to deny me anything. I hold all the cards. Your grandfather is dying at the shrine, and I have but to give the word and he'll be compost. Add to the fact that there is no one who could possibly come to your rescue, as I have personally made sure that Ryoko is taken care of.  
  
"It was you!" Sasami gasped as she too awoke. "How could you be so mean? Why are you here?"  
  
"Princess Sasami," he began, walking around the gathered extended family to reach her. "All I want is Tsunami; nothing more, nothing less. Simply give her to me and I will gladly leave."  
  
"Never!" the blue-haired girl shouted. "You're evil!" Rearing back one hand Kagato scowled like a feral beast as he drew back to strike the wincing child. Just as he prepared to do so, he stopped a smile returning to his face.  
  
"Fear not little one, I wont hurt you. Tsunami always arises to save you from harm." Walking to stand before them all he nodded in satisfaction. Presenting one gloved hand he summoned a small green fireball. "Which leaves me with an interesting idea. You see it has just occurred to me that since tsunami protects Sasami, then if she were in mortal danger Tsunami would have to appear." Moving the flame to one side he gently touched the wall, causing the area touched to ignite. "Perhaps say if you were to be burned alive?" Tossing the fireball aside Kagato nodded as he created another emerald flame and began to burn more of their home. "Of course if I am wrong, which I doubt I am, then I'll just have to settle for revenge on all of you. I know what you're thinking, but you'll die too Kagato. But I'm afraid not, you see I can leave her at any time. I still have the power to teleport. You however can't move thanks to the ropes. So you will die. Of course I could save you, but you'll have to tell me what I want to know, and give me what I want."  
  
"Don't do it Sasami," Kiyone said trying to wiggle free from the ropes. "Its not worth it. You can't trust him." As she spoke another fireball struck the support beam above them. It became obvious to those would could see it that if they weren't burned alive they would be crushed by the collapsing building.  
  
"But I don't wanna die," Noboyuki groaned, tears pouring from his eye in a vain attempt to quell the flames.  
  
"On the bright side, we'll get to see Ryoko again," Mihoshi smiled, just as a loud crack came from above and the large wooden support beam came crashing down.  
  
The Shrine: Having seized the shrine, the black warriors of Kagato left two men outside to watch for intruders. After a few minutes of nothing changing one man motioned to the other. "I don't see why he have to watch a stupid shrine in the mountains." He whined. "I mean what's so great about some old guy anyway."  
  
"I have no idea," the first man replied. "But the boss said tonight he was getting even or something. I guess these guys are the family of some techno-tycoon or something. All I know is we get to blow up stuff and shoot cool high-tech stuff. So cool it, Heldata."  
  
"Yeah, I guess so," the man called Heldata grumbled heading towards the stair edge, as his companion headed towards the shrine doors. As Heldata reached the ledge, a small sound came to his attention. "What was that? It sound-" At that instant something lunged from the shadows striking the black-clad man hard, instantly removing him from consciousness.  
  
"Sorry, Hedalta, but that was a fist that hit you." The attacker said with a smile while cocking the laser cannon with her only available hand. "Not too shabby, but I've seen better." Looking up the attacker fired a quick shot at the shrine knocking the other guard out before he had a moment to turn or react.  
  
"What was that?" a voice called from inside the shrine. "Sounds like trouble outside, go check it out." Scarcely a moment later two guards ran out. Twin shots filled the night and the intruders were instantly nullified.  
  
"Too jerky for my taste. Although I like something with thrusting power, I think Kagato was compensating for something with these." Turning the rifle over in her hands, she smirked, as she looked it over, before heading into the ancient shrine leaving the downed, but not dead, guards writhing where they had fallen.  
  
Instantly she realized it was a set up. Yosho knelt in pain at the center of the room, clutching his chest tightly. Sweat poured down the Jurain noble's face and she knew his pain was genuine, not an act as these men seemed to think. Without missing a beat she continued to glide across the room, and soon found herself completely surrounded by Kagato's minions whose disrupters were aimed and ready. "Drop the gun, cutie, and get on the ground. I don't know who you are, but no one- "  
  
Not wasting a moment, the lithe woman's arm shot up and she fired in rapid succession. In the blink of an eye each of her assailants fell, immobilized as they suffered from her non -lethal shots. In the entire battle her attention never left her target, the man at the center of the room, despite the danger around her. Tossing the gun aside like a bored child would an old toy she knelt beside Yosho and smiled as she addressed the fallen men. "No, of course you don't know who I am. That's your biggest mistake."  
  
"Ryoko," Lord Katsuhito gasped, seeing her clearly now. Once again she donned her red and black battle suit, and seemed to no longer suffer from any of her previous ailments. "But you were dy-"  
  
"It wouldn't have been a warriors death, would it?" She smiled back, revealing her formerly unseen hand. While her right arm had been busy, in her left arm was the Tenchi-ken. Her left hand was wrapped tightly with bandages that possessed minor charred marks. Taking his hand in hers Ryoko slammed the hilt in his hand. "Take this damn thing back. Now I want you to know I love Tenchi and all, but he really needs to watch his things. I mean I'm not always going to be around to take care of him. " The failing Jurain merely gasped as he tried to chuckle. "We have to do something about that cough.." Rising to her feet, the silver haired woman extended her arms and closed both eyes. A glow soon covered her body like her red and black battle suite, but then the gem on her ear vanished, reappearing on the sword hilt. Instantly Lord Katsuhito looked relived. "So," she noted coolly. "We both need my gems."  
  
"Yes," the old looking warrior added as he slowly got to his feet. "But you must hurry. There is still grave danger. Kagato has-"  
  
Suddenly Ryoko held up a hand silencing him as she sniffed loudly. "Smoke. there's a fire at the house!" Turning she glared daggers at her former enemy. "I have to go." As she teleported away, Katsuhito noticed something he hadn't before.  
  
Ryoko still bears injuries, on her heart and body. I fear the trial ahead may be too much for her. Even with two of her gems, she still needs time to rest and heal. She may save Tenchi and the others, but at what cost?  
  
The House:  
  
Flame climbed up the walls of the Masaki home, crackling with a terrible roar as it consumed everything in its path. Yet the popping sound of the fire was overshadowed by the resonating boom of the weaken support beam above starting to become free from the wall. As one the extended family winced in preparation for their demise. Weakened from the gas, and bound together, made escape impossible. The only one who could save them lay dying in a hospital bed in town. There was only one other person available to save them from their current plight, Kagato. However they knew that the devil that had captured them was not going to save them, at least not without a price. Yet it was a price none of them were willing to pay. Thus with a final crack the huge beam fell and the yellowed eyed man threw his head back and laughed darkly as Tenchi and his family shuddered at their final moments.  
  
Instead of a loud crash only a gentle thump occurred followed by mild cursing. "Damn, this thing is heavy, and hot."  
  
As one Kagato and the Masaki clan looked to the owner, and with voices mixed with horror and joy all shouted one name. "Ryoko!"  
  
Holding the flaming beam on her shoulder, the silver haired woman grinned. "Sorry I'm late, I had to do something about my hair. You wouldn't believe how hard it was to shave off all that colored crap. Thankfully mine grows back pretty quick. I'm much cuter with cyan hair, don't you think?" To accent her point she playfully tossed her wild hair with her bandaged hand, before returning it to her side.  
  
"I should have known you wouldn't die easy, Ryoko." Kagato hissed while casually summoning emerald power before him. "But I suppose I should be grateful for a chance to take you apart one more time."  
  
"You tried to kill Tenchi," Ryoko said with a venomous voice, "again." Leaning back she rolled the flaming support post into her hand and chucked it towards her adversary as easily as others might throw a ball. Kagato started, trying his best to create a shield from the gathered power, but he was too late, and instead could barely muffle the impact of the flaming column as it slammed into him and took him through the house and obliterating the wall. For only a second the lithe woman allowed herself to think that the nightmare was over, but in her heart she knew it wasn't true. Fashioning an energy blade with her free hand, she sliced the bindings from her friends as the fire raged on around them. "Everyone get outside. I'll finish Kagato."  
  
Rising to his feet, Tenchi rubbed his wrists as he tired to steady himself. "Ryoko, let me help you. You know Kagato's powerful, and you still look inj-"  
  
With neck breaking speed, the golden-eyed woman glared at him. "Kagato-is- mine," she hissed and without another word the former space pirate soared out the hole in the wall after her former master.  
  
Outside:  
  
It only took a few moments before the Masaki family found another way out, and soon the heat of the house was behind them. "See, Tenchi, you always complained when you were younger and I told you to have an escape route in case of fire. Now aren't you glad we practiced, and -oof" Noboyuki groaned as he slammed into his sons back while carrying Washu's still unconscious form. "What's going on? Why are. oh." He moaned seeing the army of weapon carrying minions who surrounded their burning home. The odds were, at best, 4 to one.  
  
"Lord Tenchi," Ayeka said in disgust. "Please allow me to rid you of these vermin. They have not only defiled the sanctity of our home, but also reduced my noble clothing to tattered rags." Casting the purple-haired princess a look, the young man had to smile. Ayeka's 'tattered rags' were still leaps and bounds beyond anything anyone one Earth possessed, even if the fringes were slightly burned.  
  
As the swarms of minions poured in, Tenchi could only say one thing. "No, Ayeka. This isn't your fight. We'll have to do it." It took only a moment before Ayeka had transformed into her Jurain battle suit. Lacking her finesse at transforming, the Jurain prince allowed his emotions to do his work and soon was basked in the radiant glory of the Lighthawk wings. "We'll hold them off, the rest of you find someplace safe, and see if you can't help wake Washu." Without a second more to waste the duo was off, Ayeka's energy shield deflecting blasts while Tenchi threw up his own Lighthawk defenses. In a few seconds they had managed to trample halfway through the black clad minions.  
  
"I hate this," Kiyone growled as they ran with Washu's limp body further out on the docks towards the Onsen's path. "What are we going to do? I don't know anything about treating unconscious victims."  
  
"Hey, this thing is pretty," Mihoshi chimed in playing with the huge amulet around Washu's neck. "Do you think Washu might let me burrow it sometime? I wonder where she got it? It reminds me of something, but I don't remember what. You know it sure looks nice. Speaking of nice wasn't it nice to see Ryoko again? She sure looked better to me, and-"  
  
"Mihoshi will you leave that thing alone!" the black-haired woman snapped at her slower partner. "I don't know where Washu got it, it's the first time I've ever seen it before."  
  
Studying the sleeping genius, Sasami seemed perplexed. "Where did you  
see it before Mihoshi?"  
  
"Hmm.. Let me think.." The blonde detective began, placing a tanned finger to her lips. "When was that.?"  
  
Great at the rate she remembers we'll be here all night. Kiyone groaned with sorrow.  
  
"Maybe if I seen it closer," she decided, removing the amulet from around Washu's neck. Instantly the little genius sat up a shocked look on her face.  
  
"Get rid of that thing!" Washu demanded, typing on her keyboard frantically as she did. Beside the ditzy blond a subspace portal opened.  
  
"Do you mean now?"  
  
"YES!" the greatest genius in the universe decreed. "Do it now!" With a shrug Mihoshi set the amulet in the hole and watched as it vanished in an instant. It only took that moment for Washu to assess the situation. Above all else she felt the fury of her daughter coming from nearby. It warmed her heart to know Ryoko was alive, yet at the same time she felt a terrible weariness coming from behind that rage. Before her Tenchi and Ayeka darted around like fireflies in the night, occasionally swooping into a sea of darkness only to rise above it once again. Beyond all this the Masaki home burned like a giant candle. "So why aren't you two in there fighting? "  
  
"Our guns are still inside," Kiyone said angrily. "I usually don't SLEEP with my weapon on me."  
  
"Is that all," the emerald-eyed woman laughed typing once again on her keyboard. Soon a portal opened and out popped two GP issue blasters. "Here you go," she giggled. "Have fun."  
  
Cocking the new weapon, the first class detective felt ill at ease to see how easy the universe's number one genius broke in and stole their technology. This is definitely something I'll have to talk to her about later.. Kiyone told herself, before rushing into the fray, doing her best to disarm the highly armed humans. Mihoshi followed a few steps behind, complaining about how scared she was and politely asking everyone to surrender.  
  
"So what do we do?" Noboyuki swallowed, fearful he might be sent into battle.  
  
"Do?" Washu said a dark shadow overcoming her face. Only a twinkle of light from one eye escaped the darkness. "There's only one thing to do." as the middle-aged man winced Washu whirled about and soon sat with Sasami and Ryo-Ohki upon a checkered blanket with various foods. "We sit back and enjoy the show!" Sasami and her cabbit friend shouted their enjoyment as they dug into the goodies all around them, as Noboyuki collapsed in shock. "Good thing I keep a sampling of your cooking for just such an occasion, pass the cake would you Sasami dear."  
  
Near the house:  
  
Ryoko and Kagato stood locked in combat. The lithe woman wielded her blade in one hand, grinding it upon the emerald sword of Kagato's. Each warrior gritted their teeth in an attempt to gain dominance in their epic struggle. "You know what Ryoko," the evil genius cooed, as he began to push her back. "I'm not going to kill you. I've decided against that. No, you're going to be my slave again. Once I beat you into submission, things can go back to normal."  
  
Back to. Ryoko panicked feeling her strength fade as she imagined the horror of once again being Kagato's slave. This only gave her former captor more ground. Images of her past flickered in her mind like miniature flames, igniting countless more memories she would have just soon forget. "No," she hissed thrusting out her other hand and firing a crimson blast. The energy tore her bandages from her semi-charred hand, showing the injuries were not as dire as she had made it seem. "I'll never go back to you! Never!" Crimson power gathered in her hand, but before she could fire Kagato beamed away. Snapping her head up, Ryoko followed his motions and teleported after him. Time and again the duo transported themselves the evil tormentor always staying a fraction of a step ahead of his former slave and thus barely avoiding her crimson blasts. After several teleports he stopped high in the sky.  
  
"Boo." She said from behind him. Spinning the white-haired man knew he was doomed. "You really don't think much of me, do you Kagato?" Ryoko sneered with joy as she fired at the white skinned man, who instantly vaporized. "To think I couldn't tell a shadow from the real thing. I just want to watch you die as many times as I can." From her vantage point high above, the silver-haired woman surveyed the forested area beneath her. For centuries she had known him, by sight, by feel, by sound, and most of all by smell. His reek was one she would never forget. Drifting forward with the grace of a ballet dancer, the former slave grinned as she soared downward in a power dive.  
  
The path:  
  
The quiet passage leading from Tenchi's home to the shrine was no longer quiet. Like a madman Kagato raced up the cement steps. "How could this happen," he growled. "How could Ryoko have survived? She was dead! I saw her fall! How-" Before he could ask himself another question, the pavement before him exploded, causing him to stagger backward. As the dust settled, Kagato moved his hand from protecting his face watching a form take shape in the falling debris.  
  
"Where are you going, master?" Ryoko asked as she slowly glided out of the crater her arms held palm out at her side. "I came looking for you. I thought you'd want to take me with you. I mean I'm not as weak as before," at this moment she emerged from the column of dust with twin points of red light glowing on her wrists. "See, I got my gems back. So I'm a lot stronger."  
  
Kagato's stomach dropped. It all made sense now, how Ryoko could survive and how she had regained so much strength. With her gems back there was no way he could best her with his meager energy weapons. He could only watch in terror as she glided towards him a smile as vicious as those he used to cast her when she was at his mercy. When she was only a few feet away he finally noticed something. A small trail of blood, now semidry, ran from one of the wounds on her arms. She's not completely synchronized with her gems, he mused. Which means.. Reaching into his robes the emerald-wearing villain readied himself.  
  
At last Ryoko leveled herself to look him square in eyes, reaching out she grasped her tormentor by the throat, slowly squeezing. This is it. Finally I'll be free. It was then she heard the click. Looking to the source the golden-eyed pirate had to cross her eyes as she looked down the barrel of Kagato's primitive Earth ballistic weapon. It was a crude weapon firing an explosive metal shell as opposed to a laser blast.  
  
"I have a theory," he gasped. "If I fire now, you won't be able to regenerate. Not from a headshot. Even you need your brain, Ryoko. Despite the fact you rarely use it. I know what you're thinking, you could snap by neck, but would that be before or after I pull the trigger? Well Ryoko? Do you think you can live without a head? Go ahead, either let me go, or die."  
  
No. she gasped. NO! I came so far! I was so close! I don't want to die, but. but I've never been hit in the head before, not hard enough to kill me at least. I. I. feeling her adrenaline rush fade; Ryoko released him from her hand. "I should have known you'd cheat." Falling to her knees, the beaten woman bowed her head, feeling very weak all of a sudden.  
  
"No," Kagato mused placing the barely right against her forehead. "You should have known I'd win."  
  
Breathing out one last time, Ryoko smiled as she looked up at her tormentor. "Good-bye, Kagato." Mimicking her grin he nodded.  
  
"Goodbye, Ryoko."  
  
The House:  
  
Just as the last adversary fell before the combined might of Tenchi, Ayeka, Kiyone, and even Mihoshi, a shot rang out in the night sending chills down everyone's spine. It was not the sound of a high tech laser, but a ballistic weapon resounding in the night. At first no one knew what to make of it, but as soon as Washu rose to her feet, everyone panicked. Then nothing else rang out, only silence. No one moved for fear they might shatter the silence and start the shots up again. Silence hung over the area like a shroud. For nearly a full minute no one moved.  
  
Then the sound of sliding footsteps came from the darkness. It started off faint, but grew louder as time went on. Soon the vague outline of someone could be seen. A full minute later thanks to the fire engulfing their home Ryoko could be seen. A red trail of blood ran from her head, and she winced as she walked, even cradling her previously bandaged hand as if it were broken. Everyone gasped to see her, and she sheepishly looked away. "Go ahead and say it, Ayeka." She swallowed feeling the insult coming. "I know a shot to my head might not matter, there's nothing there right?"  
  
To the surprise of everyone around, Ayeka rushed to her rival, transforming to her regular robes. As soon as she reached Ryoko the purple haired woman threw her arms emphatically around her neck. Although she tried to scream tears muffled the red-eyed princess's words as she squeezed the injured space pirates neck tightly. "You stupid woman! How dare you scare me like that! Do you have any idea what I've been going through because of your reckless, uncouth behavior? Were we on planet Jurai I'd have you put in chains for this!"  
  
Releasing Ryoko, she sniffed loudly in spite of herself while the others moved in. "Regardless, welcome home, Ryoko."  
  
"Thanks, Ayeka," the silvery-haired vixen replied fighting back her own tears with nearly no success.  
  
"Ryoko! Ryoko!" Sasami shouted half-skipping and half-running to her old friends position. "What was that shot? What happened to your head? How could you get better so fast?"  
  
"It was your visit kid," she answered patting the little princess on the head tenderly with her good arm. "That's how I got better."  
  
So he shot you in the head, Washu declared. Smart move phasing out at the last moment, but it looks like you could have been a little quicker. Still, I suppose some of my genius did rub off on you, Little Ryoko.  
  
Like hell it did, MOM! Ryoko sneered as she fought off Mihoshi's crippling hugs to her tender spots and tried to show affection to Ryo-Ohki and Sasami who clung to her like a wet towel. Maybe you'd like to test your reflexes someday? I wouldn't mind holding the gun for you. Oh, and since you asked, yes I did kill Kagato. It wasn't too hard really. Like most guys he fired his ammo and then was too stunned to stop my shot.  
  
Such a foul mouth and vulgar metaphors, the red-haired mother declared. I guess some things never change.  
  
Making no reply, Ryoko merely flashed a smile as she said hello to Kiyone and glared a warning at Noboyuki so he would not try to cop a feel of her while showing his excitement at seeing her.  
  
"Welcome back, Ryoko" Tenchi said from the outside of the crowd. As he spoke the world seemed to fade around the space pirate and prince. The only thing she seen was the light from the fire.  
  
Ryoko felt a deep need to be held welling up inside her, and her knees no longer seemed fit to hold her weight, but just as she leaned forward to allow him to catch her, sirens filled the air and police cars, ambulances, and fire trucks arrived on the scene.  
  
With a sigh, the lithe woman shook her head. Sometimes the more things change; the more they stay the same..  
  
Next Time: Well Kagato's defeated and Ryoko's home. Seems everyone is happy now, right? If you believe that, then you haven't been reading from the beginning. Be here for the epic conclusion. 


	9. It's Over

**Life Changes:**

Chapter 09 It's All Over 

As the morning sun rose high over the small town of Okayawa Tenchi paused on the docks taking a moment to look back at his home.  Thanks to Washu's newest invention, some form of time manipulator, the damage from the fire had been undone and now the house and stairwell was repaired.  It seemed that nothing had changed in all the months since Ryoko left.  Yet Tenchi would always remember that everyone's favorite pirate had been missing.  "Everything is back to normal," he said nodding while smiling heartily.  "Finally, Ryoko's back and things can calm down again."  It felt good to know his life was no longer going down in flames.  "I wish Ryoko would have told us why she left.   Still, having her back and happy is all that matters."  As the young man turned his eyes caught a sight they hadn't seen in a long time.  The missing space pirates, Ryoko, sat lazily on the rooftop, hunched over like a gargoyle watching for something that no one else could see.  "Morning, Ryoko," he cried out, casting her a friendly wave.  Slowly, like an ancient robot, she turned.  Her hair cast shadows over her face, thus keeping him from seeing her eyes.  It took a moment, but Ryoko finally noticed him and nodded deeply twice in reply.   "Drink too much again?" He laughed, nervously feeling as if she were furious with him and glaring holes through him. "Well, I won't be back again until late.  See you tonight."  Saying nothing the lithe woman limply raised one hand in a wave in Tenchi's general direction.  With a final weak grin the young man backed away and left Ryoko to her business.

For long moments the former space pirate watched Tenchi walk away, until he disappeared into the distance.  _I could follow him. It wouldn't be hard. A quick teleport and I could go out to the field.  _  Tilting her head up, revealing terrifyingly bloodshot and massive bags under her eyes, she nodded at the idea.  _Yep.  But then what?  What would I do if I got to be alone Tenchi?  I can barely move, and I'd bet anything Ayeka didn't break him in yet, so I'd have to move a lot.  Besides, he doesn't really want to be around me.  None of them do.  They're glad I'm back, but I bet in a week no one will care anymore.  It'll be just like before.  When they all…_ Tears welled in her eyes and it took a long ragged breath to steady her nerves so she could think without crying.  "Before I went away, because they didn't have time for me."  _It's better if I just stay up here.  Kagato's gone now so there's really nothing to worry about anymore. I can't run away again, my past always catches up with me.  It's better if I just wait here until I die.  Besides, what would everyone do if they're favorite whipping post was gone?  _Sighing loudly, Ryoko shook her head, continuing to fight for consciousness.  

Just then the door beneath her slid open and slammed loudly.  "Hey, Ryoko!" Sasami screamed walking out far enough to look up to the young space pirate.  Looking up she placed one hand over her eyes to shield it from the sun. "What cha- doing?" 

"Waiting to die," the silvery-haired woman groaned blinking hard to stay awake. 

With a rough smile, the pink-eyed girl nodded.  "Oh, well could you help me in the kitchen?"

For a few moments Ryoko considered her offer. "No, I'd just be in the way."

"No, you won't.  I could use your help getting-" As Sasami started her protest the lithe woman leaned back with an exhausted groan oblivious to the world around her.   "Oh… okay then, I'll be in the kitchen if you change your mind.  I learned a new cake recipe.  It takes a lot of Sake, and I'm not really sure how to make it perfectly.  I'm probably going to have to make a lot of cakes.  So I will need someone to lick the bowl clean and drink the Sake before it gets cold, while I get a fresh one."  When no reply came, the blue-haired princess sighed as her impish smile faded and the young girl retreated back into her kitchen domain.

Ryoko was about to fall asleep, when Ayeka's voice snapped in and shook her awake.  "Well you certainly have learned no manners in your time away.  I was on my way for a morning bath, when I notice you freeloading on the roof.  Would you care to join me?  I'm not asking because I want to be around you, I simply was being polite, and it would be good for everyone's peace of mind to know you do bathe from time to time.  Rather than ruining the view for everyone else, and making Sasami cry, why not bathe?" 

"Don't worry, princess, I won't be around long."  Ryoko glumly noted her eyes flickering close. With a yawn she continued.  "Go ahead and enjoy yourself."  

No sooner had Ayeka growled a rude reply then she was gone.  But the former pirate's tormenting peace didn't last long, as she heard Kiyone call out to her.  She could barely make it out, but Ryoko thought it had something to do with helping with chores.  It was enough to make her laugh. _ Me do chores? Yeah that'll be the day…._  Finally, Ryoko smiled when Kiyone, and occasionally Mihoshi's high-pitched voice, went silent and the lazy woman began to fall asleep.  

It had been a hard night, staying awake while the others slept, trying to recuperate from her battle wounds, and restore her shattered life essence, all without rest.  Especially when you're trying to ward off mental inquiries all night from her mother and your cabbit companion.  But it was a battle she was winning alone.  No one would or could help her through this.  It seemed this was her fate, and fate was a crueler master than Kagato had ever been.  

**That Night:**

As the evening came and the sun slowly set, Tenchi walked home. His arms and legs felt as if they were made of lead.  Every muscle in his body ached from his chores and the intense training his grandfather had put him through as punishment for shirking in his old training regime.  "It might have been obvious to him that we were going to be attacked," Tenchi groaned using his hoe as if it were a cane. "But not everyone thinks about violent battles all the time."  No sooner had he said this than the young man corner and stood facing his red-roofed home.  "A good night's sleep is just what I need." He realized wearily.  "Now that Ryoko's back, I can rest a lot easier knowing she's all right."  Looking around, Tenchi once again caught sight of the golden-eyed woman who remained in the same spot like a dog waiting for its master to return.  "Evening Ryoko," he shouted quietly.  "How are you tonight?  Hope you weren't waiting long."

As before she said nothing in reply, instead she merely bobbed her head in time with the evening breeze.  Each dip was lower than the previous and took her closer and closer to the edge, until finally she started to fall. 

"RYOKO!" he shouted.  Leaping with all his might, the transformation into his Lighthawk garb was instantaneous.  With his enhanced power Tenchi caught Ryoko's limp form in his arms gently and landed with barely a sound on the rooftop.  

  
"Wha?" she groaned as he laid her down carefully on the roof, making sure not to place her anywhere she might be in danger of falling again.

"You fell," Tenchi exhaled with relief as his clothes changed back to normal.  "I caught you."

"Well," Ryoko answered with a false smile as she sat up.  Returning to her post on the ledge she nodded. "It looks like you did.  Guess I owe you for it."  Looking at the ground, her golden eyes saw Tenchi's hoe laying points up on the ground.  _If he hadn't caught me… _she noted horror and anger mixing in her heart.  _I could have died. _

His heart winced seeing her like this.  Something was going on, of that he was sure.  The Ryoko he knew never would have let an opportunity for a kiss pass that easily, nor would she have almost fallen off the roof, especially when she was not drunk.  "I just wish I could be as strong as you, Ryoko," Tenchi admitted with a faint laugh, taking the spot beside her, while showing how uncomfortable the situation made him.  "I mean no one else could do what you did.   You made it on your own without any help at all.  I know I couldn't do it."

Continuing to look at the ground with her legs dangling limply over the roof edge, Ryoko laughed like a wisp.  "Yeah… that's me.  Ryoko… the dread space pirate," at this moment her voice broke, and tears began to replace her laughter.   "I'm… not… afraid... of anything."  Finally, she stopped her broken speech, and her tears fell down her face in a swift stream of water.   Feeling his heart drop, Tenchi panicked, wondering what he could have possibly said that would have done this to the silver-haired woman.  

"Ryoko…" he began, just before she fell into him and buried her face in his shoulder.  With slow motion he placed a hand on her far shoulder and held her there, a grim look on his face.  Sobbing loudly, like a sorrowful child, the golden-eyed woman bellowed into him, as he merely sat in stunned silence, trying to think of something to say, or do, to end her plight.  However, in the end, despite how much it hurt to see her like this, the young man knew that stopping her now would only bring a repeat of this entire ordeal.   Clearing his throat loudly, Tenchi sighed as he gently rested his chin to her head.  "Ryoko," he repeated finding his words impossible to form.  "Would you… like to…" pausing he shuddered inwardly dreading the answer he knew she had to give him, "talk about what's bothering you."

Sniffing, the sorrow struck woman met his eyes, and Tenchi nearly looked away, unable to bear seeing such hurt in another's eyes. "I can't… it hurts too much," she whimpered timidly.  

Feeling both relief and misery at her response, the brown-haired youth nodded slowly.  "Well, if you ever want to-"

"It's all his fault," she snarled, laying her cheek against his chest, looking out sadly at the full moon.  "I haven't slept because of him for nearly 700 years."

"Steven?" Tenchi guessed, his eyes watching the same moon, yet seeing nothing. 

  
"Kagato." Ryoko hissed, the name bringing pain to her heart.  "Ever since I can remember he's always tortured me," wrapping her arms around his waist she continued.  "It all started with…." With those words, the golden-eyed woman began to retell her beloved prince, Tenchi, every detail of her past, the details gushing forth like a mighty river over a fall.  Occasionally she paused; crying too hard to go on; other times the emotionally drained space pirate went into extreme detail about a person, city, or plant she had personally annihilated.  

After nearly an hour and a half, Ryoko Hakubi was exhausted and the brown-haired prince's embrace had gone from a friendly hold to a nearly fatherly hug as he warmly held Ryoko's head that lay in his lap.   With a last gasp for air, she closed her eyes.  "You must hate me," she stated painfully.  "I know you all do.  That's why I ran away.  So I wouldn't cause any of you any more trouble anymore.  Then you'd have to find a new whipping post for trouble."

  
"No," he whispered, coming out of his shock.  "Ryoko, that's silly," he commented in an almost offended manner.  "Nothing you say, do, or ever did, would ever make me, or any of us, hate you.  You're like my best friend, you've always been there for me, and I'm sorry I wasn't able to be there when you needed me.  We all are.  I just wish you'd have told me sooner."  Taking one of his hands free of her head, Tenchi stroked her spiky hair slowly.  "You've had a rough time lately, why don't you sleep now?"

Pouting she shook her head lazily in his lap.  "I can't do that," she yawned with a wince. "If I sleep, I'll dream.  If I dream I remember.  But… your lap is warm… and it does make me **feel **safe."

Smiling, the young warrior looked up at the clear night sky, his hand subconsciously brushing her silky cheek lightly, "I'll tell you what, would it help you sleep if I stayed with you?  I could guard you from the nightmares, sort of like a dream catcher."

"It might help," she muttered.  "But-"

Shushing her, the brown-haired shrine-keeper's hand casually and tenderly glided over her slender lips. Ryoko fell silent. "It'll be alright, I promise."   Having no response, and wanting more than anything to believe her cherished savior's words, the silvery haired woman's head rolled back and a final sigh eased from her body as sleep overtook her exhausted form.  

Three times her head jerked up, her eyes wide with fear and sadness.  Each time Tenchi was there, holding her hand and stroking her hair soothingly until she fell back asleep.  It seemed, at least for now Ryoko was not alone.  

After nearly an hour, Tenchi began to feel the night air, and he cursed himself for not bringing a jacket._  Of course this isn't what I expected._ He honestly admitted looking at Ryoko as if she were little more than a frightened Sasami lying in his lap._  But then nothing normal ever happens around here.  It's what I thought made each day so special.  _

Occasionally he would pause in his petting and Ryoko would grunt absently in her sleep, urging him unconsciously to continue.  Following her latest complaint, Tenchi looked down and watched her closely as she slept.  Slowly she breathed in, inhaling in small sharp breaths, before exhaling with purifying exhaustion.   The rivers of tears were now dry but their trail still remained marked on her face, like an old riverbed.  Perhaps it was the moonlight, or the emotional barrage he had just received, but in all his life Tenchi had never seen Ryoko look so vulnerable or beautiful.  Her lips were slightly parted, and the soft breaths she took only seemed to accent her voluptuous nature.   Moving his free hand slowly he prepared to touch her lips gently with two fingers, his heart filled with excitement and his curiosity beckoning him to check if she truly was as gentle to the touch as she seemed. 

"There you are," Ayeka said from behind the duo just as his fingers were a hair's breath away.  Instantly he jerked his hand back.  "Lord Tenchi, we have been looking everywhere for you.  It was well over two hours ago we found your instrument out front, and we feared something might have happened to you.  When did you return home?  Are you ill?"

"No," he replied as he turned his head to face his purple-haired guest who held a lantern in one hand as she approached.  "I seen Ryoko when I came in." Although his pause here was only a second, Ayeka felt her heart falter at that phrase.  "She fell, so I caught her.  I think I used the Lighthawk wings.  I guess my control is getting better.  Anyway, I found out why Ryoko left, and what made her change her whole life.  She hasn't slept in a long time, so I promised to watch over her until she gets up.  Silly I know, but it is a promise and-"

Ayeka's hand rested on his shoulder and she smiled understandingly at her prince. "It is not silly, Lord Tenchi.  It is understandable.  As a matter of fact this makes many things clearer to me now than they have ever been in my life.  This is who you are, Lord Tenchi, and you are where you are meant to be.  You should not feel the need to apologize, nor to explain yourself.  However, may I suggest moving indoors where the weather is not so cold?  "

Nodding the young man did his best to rise.  With help from the first princess, he managed to get to his feet and carry the sleeping space pirate from her post back into his home.  

Moving slowly, Tenchi managed to get into the living room, and soon parted ways with Ayeka who promised to inform the others of his return.  

**The Living Room:**

Yet another hour had passed, and still the young man watched over his sleeping charge.  No longer was her head in his lap.  Now her spiky hair flowed freely over the couch as he sat on the coffee table holding one of her hands in his.  From time to time Tenchi rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb, a reassurance to her that he was still there, and for him that she truly had returned.  

Looking at the sleeping woman, the young man rubbed his eyes painfully trying to banish his weariness.  Suddenly, he heard Ryoko weakly mutter something.  Shaking his head, the brown-eyed youth listened as she repeated herself.  It wasn't a phrase, or even a word, but it conveyed a deep message.  Closing his eyes, the young man tried to recall the last instance he had heard such a thing.  It was not a proud utterance, nor was it any other noise the lithe woman had ever made.  Despite the difficulty Tenchi did his best to remember when he had last heard someone make a sound like that, and in a flash of inspiration it dawned on him. 

_That's it,_ he thought smacking his own head at his stupidity, _Ryoko's cold._  Reaching beside him, he picked up a spare blanket that Ayeka had left for him, and prepared to cover the twitching woman, when once again inspiration hit him as he noted a small tear running down her cheek.  _She's not cold; she's still scared…_ feeling a little stupid for not noticing it sooner, as Sasami had the same expression on her face when she experienced a painful nightmare; Tenchi slowly, and cautiously, reached forward to take one of Ryoko's hands in his.  

It was then that weariness overtook the young man and his eyes closed.  Wobbling for a moment he soon fell forward and an accident occurred that could change everything forever.  Some would say his path was guided by fate, others by chance, yet whatever it was, when Tenchi Masaki's face happened to fall on to Ryoko Hakubi's, and their lips met, time seemed to stop.  The sudden warm sensation caused both figure's eyes to shoot open, Ryoko's golden eyes laced with fear and tears born from her nightmare, and Tenchi's with the shock of what he had allowed to happen.   Yet neither pulled away as they seemed to share the warmth and intense calm that filled them though this minimal touching flesh.  Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the young man leaned back, whispering, "wow," quietly almost under his breath as he moved a hand to feel his lips, which seemed almost aflame with excitement.   

Reaching up slowly the demoness stopped him, in case he was trying to wipe away her first kiss.  "You know," she said in a crackling voice.  "If I had a kiss like that to wake me up each morning, I'd be more than glad to have nightmares each night."

Laughing, Tenchi rubbed her hand tenderly as his eyes glistened with a barely contained joy.  For the first time in his life, the young man was able to say what his heart had wanted to, but his timid soul would have never allowed him to say.  Ever since her return, the brown-haired prince had felt the walls about his heart melting away and his tension fading like shadows under a morning sun, and now a hole big enough for even his cowardly nature to find passage through opened in that wall.  "I don't know," he said, his smile threatening to break his face.  "I mean, if **I** had a kiss like that to look forward to every morning I think I'd never have a nightmare; knowing that **that** waited for me when I got up.  Of course, I don't know if I could sleep since I'd be waiting."  Joining his laugh, the lithe woman moved her hand from his arm to his face rubbing it gently, as he moved his free hand to do the same to her.  Silence filled the quaint living room as the two young looking figures simply looked deep into each other's eyes.  Slowly, like two reeds gently drifting across a still lake, the two leaned forward again, this time kissing deeply and passionately.  Closing their eyes, it seemed that Tenchi and Ryoko might never break from this intense emotional contact.  

Neither person saw Washu, standing at her lab door involved in a failing war to cast away tears that cascaded from her eyes like waterfalls.  _My Little Ryoko…_ she smiled as she cried.  _I came up, because I was worried things were going back to the way they were. But… but…_ the green-eyed genius swallowed hard.  _But I see you're coming through your past.  When you came to this planet, I know you felt like a withering plant.  I'm glad Tenchi was there to nurse you back to health.  When you left us, I thought all your growth would rot away.  I should have known the emotional roots in your soul shallow. Tenchi's indecisiveness and the dark memories you were curse with are to blame.  I see you weren't emotionally dead.  You were just going back to seed.  Thanks to Tenchi's continued efforts you've started to regrow, stronger and with deeper roots, better than ever._

As the diminutive genius pondered her daughter's life, Tenchi hugged Ryoko. "Tell me, Miss Ryoko, would you like to sleep in my room tonight?  There should be room for two of us."

"Sleep with you," the lithe woman laughed, "I'd love to, but I'm kind of tired tonight."

"I meant like how Sasami sleeps with me when she has nightmares," he said with a red glow of embarrassment. 

"That's sick, but I suppose it is good to know you have some experience.  I'd hate to think I have to do **all **the work." Ryoko grinned knowing full well what he meant.  Yet she enjoyed seeing him squirm. "But if what you're telling me is true, you only sleep with upset kids, and as you can easily see I'm no kid."

After considering her words Tenchi smiled kindly.  "Well, Little Ryoko," he chuckled, "would you like to sleep in my bed tonight?  It might help you with your nightmares, and it's more comfortable than the couch or rafters."

Ryoko's smile faded when he mentioned where she used to sleep.  "Okay, you win," she impishly. "But you'll have to carry me.  I'm too tired to walk."  Extended her arms it seemed more of a demand than a request.  Soon her lithe arms were wrapped around his neck.  Realizing arguing would be pointless and ruin the mood Tenchi hefted her into his arms.  

_Ryoko's doing better.  At least some of her weigh is coming back. _Doing his best to suppress the strain she put on his body the young man smiled happily as he carried her towards his room.    

Watching the young couple, as that is what they were sure to become, Washu only shook her head as a smirk came over her face. _What in the hell was that?  If I call her Little Ryoko, she bites my head off, but if its Tenchi…_.  Throwing her arms up in mock frustration, the green-eyed woman headed back into her lab.  _Talk about your double standards…._ _ Oh well, guess I'll just go back to work.  Being a mom sure is a more thankless job than I thought it would be.  Maybe I should just get a dog…._

Just as her small hands reached the doorknob, a voiced echoed in the goddess Washu's mind.  _Thanks mommy,_ Ryoko called out to her.  _Thanks for coming to see me. _ With a grin the diminutive genius closed her lab door, a massive of pride welling in her chest as she basked in her daughter's thanks. 

**The Cave:**

From out of the dark cave she came, a demon from ancient times emerging into the light.  Upon her body was a skin-tight black and red battle suite.  Only her face could be seen, although it was more frightening than any mask ever could be.  Wild, spiky, silvery hair moved frantically in the steady wind as she prowled forth from the cruel depths.  Her hands were clenched into powerful claws and the demoness loudly breathed in ragged gulps as if she were completely mad.  More terrifying than any of the other features were her eyes, empty, emerald, emotionless eyes.  The dread space pirate Ryoko was free and the entire universe was doomed. 

Despite her great power each step seemed to be a battle as if something inside was fighting to gain control.  As each foot crashed down it smashed deeply into the ground, marking her trail easily.  Only a few feet out of the cavern, Ryoko spotted her first victim, a small boy in the field cooking sweet potatoes while he messed with some wildflowers.  

Looking at her prey Ryoko's mind whirred to life, and she soon recalled the boy's identity.   Many times he had played outside her prison, ignoring the stern warnings from his elders, but back then he'd been safe.  After all, she was locked up.   Now she was free and her master's ominous commands resounded in her mind.  _KILL ANY WHO STAND IN YOUR WAY._

Savoring the thrill of the hunt she continued on.  Soon Ryoko loomed over the brown-haired youth.  Starting as something had just blotted out the sun, he turned looking up at her.  With the sun in his eyes it took a moment, but he finally found his focus.  Yet he did not run or try to fight her as others would have, instead he smiled warmly.  

"Hello," he said with a chuckle. "I'm Tenchi.  What is your name?"

His reaction was so new that she paused, completely stunned.  The innocence in his eyes and smiled burned her soul filling them with emotions she had never truly felt or understood before.  Emotions like remorse and shame, but also love and warmth.  Somehow she won control of herself and made a very guttural noise that passed for her voice.  "Ryo…ko."

With a poor attempt at shock the young boy nodded before offering her a wildflower. "Here, it's for you."  

Once again Ryoko growled out a reply.  "For… me?"  Taking his offering her legs failed.  Kneeling before Tenchi she held the tiny plant in both hands admiring its quiet beauty and elegant fragrance.  Tears rolled down her face and her lip quivered.  If not for the evil glow in her eyes she'd seem a typical upset teenager.

"Did it have a thorn," he asked trying to pry open her hands with his tiny finger.  "Let me see, I know how to make it better."  Yet despite his efforts he could not open her clenched fist.  Slowly she lowered her flower to the ground feeling very weak, defeated, and foolish.  "Don't cry.  It'll be okay.  I promise."  Leaning forward he kissed her gently on the cheek right where one of her tears had just passed.  

The warm touch of his lips on her flesh caused her to gasp softly.  But she gasped even louder at what followed.  Like flashes of light memories came back to her taking the forefront of her mind.  She saw the young man grow, watching him happily from her cave.  She saw him as a young man, freeing her from the cave only to meet him again to play at his school.  Again they were together, in his room with her in his bed surprising him with her presence.   Then the dark man came, but Tenchi stood up for her.  He killed the darkness that haunted her.  

The warm feeling spread from her cheek consuming her control and darkness.  As it moved the warmth cracked her flesh, making her look like a broken doll.  When her whole body was covered in cracks, her eyes shot open.  She could feel it inside her, and in suddenly white light shot from her emerald glowing eyes and in a blinding flash Ryoko the space pirate disappeared.  In her place was Ryoko-Chan, a little girl in a simple tartan and brown dress that cried loudly.  

"It wasn't that bad a kiss," Tenchi said leaning forward as he helped the pint-sized girl to her feet. 

"I want my mommy." Ryoko cried, tears pouring from her eyes like waterfalls.  

"Go play," a voice called.  Looking back, the pouting child saw her mother waving from the old cave while talking to another little girl, a strange animal, a very uptight royal, and two women in uniforms.  "We'll talk to you later."

Taking her hand in his, Tenchi raced away with Ryoko in tow.  Soon the two were laughing and playing in the large field, eating sweet potatoes and enjoying the day.  

It was when she was happiest of all that it happened.  Ryoko opened her eyes, the nightmare had passed, the time for dreams was gone, and now she was coming back to reality….

Next time: Well it seems things have worked out.  I didn't think they would, and the story could end here, but I thought I might as well make an epilogue. So why not?  **Next time: Epilogue.**


End file.
